Extenuating Circumstances
by Dahlia Derbyshire
Summary: Beyond the Elemental Nations, there are many more worlds to explore. When Kurosaki Ichigo comes into town, the destinies of everyone will change, and they will have to go where no ninja has gone before. Even Sakura, who must face her worst enemy: feelings
1. The Stranger

This is my first crossover, I hope you like it.

Reviews would be greatly appreciated, that way I know where to go with this story.

*This chapter HAS been edited. It was originally written in a lazy, half-assed way. I edited it to make it the relatively same quality as all the other chapters. First impressions are everything, and this Chapter did not make the cut in my mind. Thank you Sendicard for helping me decide if I wanted to redo this or not! You influenced the editing of this chapter greatly!

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><p>The forests outside Konoha were lovely places. Animals of all sizes and shapes took the majority of their day sitting on the highest tree that overlooked the village and its vast greens. Lately, however, such menial tasks had become a bore. The great Konoha wasn't as it once was. Quite frankly, Konoha had become an eye-sore. Pein had destroyed anything and <em>everything <em>that was of worth or beauty. Even the animals were smart enough to know this, and they migrated accordingly. Birds flew over to Kumogakure for clear skies and a clean, tidy view; amphibians slunk their way to Sunagakure the nestle in the sand. The only animal that stayed true to Konoha was the ever-so endangered hawk.

One hawk in particular had found a very quaint place to perch for hours on end. From that place he spied many things. Currently, he spotted two blurs that weaved in and out through the trees. The pink blur always trailed behind the yellow blur. The hawk found this humorous. Every time the two blurs got close, the yellow one would suddenly be pushed back and into a tree with such force that annihilated the very tree it hit. The blurs were brutal, but it was nothing to the hawk.

Of course, even the hawk knew when it was his time to go. The voices got closer, the blurs gradually gaining shape and becoming colorful blobs. Remorseful to leave his tree at the mercy of the destructive blurs, the hawk flew away. A good choice, considering the noise that pierced the air right after his ascent caused _every _animal to jump out of their bones.

"NARUTO!"

The bird had been right when he spotted pink and yellow. Only they weren't just colors, they were people. The hawk hadn't the fortune of knowing the blurs by name like many of the villagers in Konoha did. The pink was Haruno Sakura. Whereas the yellow was considered blond, and he was the ever-so rowdy Uzumaki Naruto. Those two gave Pein a run for his money when it came to destroying. Naruto could easily get Sakura to unbottle all the pent-up rage and anger she held. It was just a matter of sealing it back up again...

Her voice was so loud and obtrusive, and she was ignorant to the fact that people miles away could hear her. She was not a quiet girl, and she was not about to forgive Naruto for his horribly rude jokes. She could only take so much in a day, and he'd pulled the last straw only hours ago. Somehow Naruto had managed to steal 'Makeout Paradise' and hide it, planning to exchange it for a quick view of mask-less Kakashi. That was downright disrespect!

Sakura's strong sense of right and wrong rivaled her interest in Kakashi's bare face. She knew, deep down to the deepest part of her stomach, that what Naruto was doing was wrong. However, was it not also right? Kakashi should have expected something like this happening sooner or later. The man _hid _his face under a _mask_, surely he didn't think nobody would take action. For a moment her resolve slipped, the urge to let Naruto go free nearly getting to her. Fortunately for her, she still had Inner Sakura to keep her in line.

**_When did you become such a wimp? What happened to divine intervention? _**Her voice taunted, causing Sakura to roll her eyes, **_Naruto has to learn sometime that his pranks are pointless!_**

She didn't necessarily _agree _with her inner-self, but she'd proved a good point. Although his pranks had the ability to lighten the mood in these dark times, they were starting to become tedious. Verbally humiliating a noble of the village is one thing, but stealing Kakashi's _book _crossed the line. Someone had to teach Naruto that.

She could see him, only a few tree-branches away. With that classic head of bright yellow hair he was so easy to spot! Naruto was surprisingly bad at planning pranks. He was so good with strategic moves during fights (case of point: the battle with Pein) but when it came to thinking ahead in every day situations...he failed miserably.

The roseate rolled up her sleeves as she bounded towards him like a tight coil that had just been set free. Anger welled up inside of her as she thought of the trouble he was causing. Naruto didn't realize it, but when Kakashi realized his book was gone, he mentally veered off course. She could only grimace as she remembered the state she had left him in; a dark, serious face, and order after order shooting from his mouth. Everyone was Kakashi's pet.

Loudly, the kunoichi barked, "NARUTO! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS!"

Hearing her voice, Naruto sped up. He didn't bother to look back, no doubt Sakura's face looked horrifying. She probably had "justice" on her mind. Everyone in town knew that Sakura's form of justice and payback always hurt the next day. Even Naruto, hero of Konoha, was afraid of that girl. No amount of jutsu could ever make him fearless of _her_. The fact that he was now much stronger (being a sage did those things) didn't cross his mind at all during his flee. The only thing _he _could see was her razor-sharp death glare.

A cold sweat broke out on his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Her hand dug deep enough for bruises to form, not only inflicting pain but pulling the poor victim backwards. Everything happened so fast after that point. One moment Naruto had been running away, and the next he was soaring through the air. Sakura's angry form got further and further away as he flew back, his back hitting a tree. He let out a pained gasp as he slid down, his back equally as bruised as his shoulder.

"Why, Sakura-chan?" He pleaded, rubbing his head. His sweet, classic anime voice would do nothing. No matter how innocent he tried to sound, Sakura would never fall for it. His heart was already pounding for the worst of reasons; she looked especially mad today.

She jumped down from the branch, softly landing on her feet. The girl made wild gestures with her hands, which Naruto noted were forming clenched fists. "You knucklehead! You can't just go around and take whatever you want, even _if_ you defeated Pein! What were you _thinking_?" She ranted, her hands on her hips.

Naruto held his hands up defensively, as if they could fend Sakura off. He knew two hands would do nothing. "Don't you wonder what Kakashi's face looks like? It's been nearly five years since we met him, and we still haven't seen it!" He pointed out that little tidbit of useless information. She was hardly amused, and was completely unaware that the whole reason Naruto was doing this was for her and _her _wish to see what Kakashi's bare face looked like.

"NOBODY has seen it!" She chastised, taking a step forward.

Naruto flinched, he didn't want to get hit again. At least, that's what _Sakura _saw. His flinching was not because of his fear. It was because he was absorbing too much natural energy. Under all this pressure, changing to Sade Mode was becoming increasingly difficult. He'd simply screwed up, and in effort to prevent his nose from growing warts, he had lost his concentration thus breaking his invisible ties.

His opponent, great friend, and known love-interest didn't notice the eerie stillness his body took for the next few moments. "Where did you hide the book, Naruto?" She said, leaning over to look him in the eye menacingly.

He heard her question, but he didn't answer. Sure, he knew perfectly well where the book was hidden: in his own windbreaker. Of course, Sakura would never guess that. Everyone was accustomed to his baggy attire, always unaware of the treasures he could hide beneath the cloth.

The fact that he gave no answer angered her. Irritation was taking over her mind like a disease, replacing any feelings of understanding or amusement. (Even she had to admit, the things Naruto did at times could be pretty darn comical.) Bubbling and boiling, her anger took control of the muscles in her dominant arm. She raised it in the air at the unmoving Naruto, and without warning she swung it down towards his whisker-marked cheek.

Of all times to bring out Sage Mode, it was surprising to Sakura that he had saved it until _just now_. Why didn't he use it while he was running away? That would have proved more useful, she knew she would never be able to keep up with his speed. Never.

At first she had doubted it was Sage Mode she saw, her beliefs from earlier clouding her better judgement. Her jaw clenched when she recognized the orange colorization around his eyelids, and the abnormal frog-like appearance his eyes had taken on. Would those markings ever lie to her? They were clear proof that Naruto was using Sage Mode...but for what?

A sinking feeling overtook her gut; he was going to run away.

All while she thought that, Naruto's newly reformed speed had allowed him to counter by grabbing her wrist. He held her hand up in the air, never releasing. "Matte, matte. I can't tell you where I have it, at least not yet anyways." He told her, shrugging. "Besides, Kakashi-sensei can survive an hour or two more before he finally brea-"

"_Why can't you tell me?_ And why do I have to wait?" Her reply cleanly cut his speech short. Of course it had little effect when it came through clenched teeth.

He let go of her wrist, letting it fall back into place at her side. She was grateful to him for letting her go, but it wasn't like that ended this. Naruto was sensible enough to understand that. He didn't lower his defenses, or release Sage Mode.

This matter, however important it may seem, was easily pushed aside by a noise in the horizon. She could have sworn she'd heard something… The sound of leaves being kicked up from the ground by feet. Not paws, claws, or slimy appendages: _human feet_. As Sakura continued to look towards the source, she began to _see _things, too. A flash of black this way and that, zig-zagging towards them. Her posture got stiff, but for situation's sake, she kept calm.

Sage Mode permitted Naruto's senses to rise exponentially. Thus, he had heard the approaching noises first, but hadn't said anything. He had a feeling that whatever it was, it would pass right along them and never return. He could _feel _the urgency radiate off the being far away, and it seeped into his skin. Something as urgent as this was wouldn't stop for a couple of people. He deemed it as no big deal.

Sakura, however, didn't have the fortune of absorbing the feelings it felt. All she could do was stand and watch the colors rise up over the hill and zoom towards them at an alarmingly fast rate. (Which was actually considerably slow considering their distance from it.) She craned her neck, and in doing so managed to spy a _third_ color.

Orange.

In the midst of all the confusion, Naruto managed to detach himself from Sakura's attention. He lightly side-stepped away, fearful that Sakura would hear him escaping and desperately claw after him. If she did that, he'd be forced to counter yet again, and this time it wouldn't be so gentle. No matter what, he didn't want to hurt Sakura. But if worse came to worse... He shook that thought off. Just because he had some ultra-special new power didn't mean he had the authority to hurt _anybody_.

After a second or so, Naruto felt relieved. She seemed so focused on the noises and the colors that she was yet to see him slink away. In fact he was _so_ convinced of his stealth that he emitted a rather long, stretched-out sigh. Oh, how little he knew! Even in Sage Mode he could make silly mistakes like that!

Sakura heard that sigh and immediately turned her attention back to the empty space in front of her. Her wide eyes shot to the retreating Naruto. He looked cocky, and proud of himself. He'd managed to put a good five yards between them. It was a great distance, they both knew it. With five yards, Naruto could managed a massive head-start.

As always, Naruto had a grand exit to make. He saluted her smugly, his smile stretching farther than the highest point of his whiskers. Yes, he knew that by leaving her there he was typically putting her into a dangerous situation. However, he was confident in his earlier assumption of their oncoming unidentified person. They would pass right by Sakura, providing she didn't get in their way.

"See you later, _Sakura-chan_!"

He was gone in the blink of an eye. Despite his speed, Sakura who usually would have followed, stayed right in her place. She was surprised at herself, and Inner-Sakura was screaming not to let him go so easily. Her initial shock from the turn of events was short-lived. She was preoccupied by the thing she saw ahead of her.

As a Konoha shinobi, it was Sakura's duty to figure out what was in the forest, quickly approaching. It moved so extremely fast, she could hardly see anything but a dark blur. Speed was this thing's gift. Imbedded in that blur was the strange orange color she had seen earlier. Just what did the color orange have to do with anything?

The figure was actively approaching, and Sakura took matters into her own hands. She wouldn't obey Naruto's mental will for her; she would take this situation into her own hands and stop this stranger from passing. She took two steps to the left with her hands authoritatively crossed behind her back. She was now a stable road-block, and this black blur (which simply refused to take any turns; the quickest way between two points was a _straight _line) would have to figure out a way to get around her if it wanted to continue on. Sakura figured that by standing there it would veer off, leaving the Land of Fire completely. Unfortunately enough, that didn't seem to be the case. The closer the black got, the more it slowed. Until eventually, a person stood before Sakura.

Such a tall person this was indeed. There weren't many people in Konoha that rivaled his height. Though the first thing she noticed was _not_ his height, but his spiky orange hair that reminded her faintly of Naruto's. His face was daring, and cut in several places like he had just left a big fight. Her brows furrowed as she looked at him, obviously a teenager like herself. Nonetheless, she held a hand out not to shake hands but to block his path even further. "Halt." She stated. She was a little surprised; she hadn't expected the person to stop right in front of her. Something like this was uncalled for, and she hadn't planned it out farther than this point...

At first she thought he was an enemy ninja, but that thought was easily dismissed when she took a look at his strange attire. It looked ancient -not dirty, but as if it was made long ago. The fabric was black, and was like one flowing robe. Only it had two legs, different than a mere robe. She noted that, like his skin, it had cuts in various places. Telltale signs of a disagreement.

"W-who are you?" Sakura mumbled. She was unable to keep her voice steady. With increasing embarrassment, she realized that this stranger was quite handsome.

He was accustomed to being a ghost; invisible to the eyes of many. He could easily weave his way in and out of the busy Karakura streets in this form. Nobody ever saw him, and it was as if he didn't exist. Thus, he didn't think the pink-haired girl would step out in front of him, let alone _see _him. It was a complete surprise, but also a blessing. She was here, and she had information. But first thing was first, figure out one major detail.

"You can see me?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. His question was an insult to her intelligence. He was a _person_, being a _person _generally meant other _people _could see you. Here her mind went again, off in its own little world. As mentioned beforehand, his question was an insult. It irritated her, giving her the idea that this was _just_ another person who thought they were stealthier than the rest. Another conceited human being. The female once again rested her hands on her hips, a slightly annoyed expression as she said, "Well of _course _I can see you." She shook her head. "And you can't answer a question with a question. You're almost as dull as Naruto!"

"Oh, ah, sorry about that." He grumbled, not at all appreciating the tone of her voice. He just went along with it, since he had no idea who this 'Naruto' was. Sakura smiled at this. "The name's Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo...Ichigo..._ICHIGO? _"…strawberry…?" She mumbled, once again looking over him. He looked nothing like his name suggested. A strawberry was bulbous and red, he was thin and _orange_.

Ichigo's lips twitched. He'd heard that comment many times. The curse of being named after a fruit...

"No, not _strawberry_!" He countered, sighing. "But that's besides the point… Who are _you_?"

Sakura raised her eyebrows. It wasn't surprising he had no idea who she was, or who he was _dealing _with. He was obviously an outsider, a fact that posed a great many questions. One of them being where he came from. Yet she didn't shoot off her curiosity at him. Doing so would make her a hypocrite, since she'd clearly stated before that it wasn't good to 'answer a question with a question'. Indefinitely, she'd just have to make do with answering his. Stately, she answered, "Sakura Haruno, Chuunin."

"What's a Chuunin?"

Sakura was astounded. He didn't know what a Chuunin was? "You've gotta be kidding me!" She stated, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to one leg.

Crickets.

"You don't know what a Chuunin is? As in Genin, Chuunin, Jounin?" She asked, leaning forward to poke a finger at his chest accusingly. Was this kid an _alien _or something? Did he not understand the ranking system of the great shinobi culture?

_Now_ Ichigo felt he was being made fun of. It agitated him. "How am I supposed know what those are, I've never heard those words until just now!" Thoroughly irritated, he swiveled to face the opposite direction and began to walk away.

The large sword on his back caught Sakura's eye. It was an abnormal size, even for the Seven Swordsmen of the mist. It was wrapped tightly, only small glimmers of metal shining through here and there. It was a beauty to behold. Not only did it seem like a deadly weapon, but it had a certain elegance that Sakura couldn't peg on any other thing on the world. This weapon was uniquely its own.

"Hey, wait! Ichigo!" She mumbled, catching up to him. He'd walked a fair ways since her distraction with the sword, and she had to (regrettably) use energy to catch up. "You must be a foreigner. I should have realized it sooner. I mean, _come on_, look at the clothes you're wearing." She shrugged.

Her comment only made Ichigo even more irritated. He pace came to a halt as he looked down at her. "Now you're making fun of my _clothing_?" That was how Ichigo interpreted her words. To him, it was blatantly obvious that she was mocking him. She had nothing to back it up, considering the clothing _she _was wearing. "You have no right to say that, you're not even supposed to see me!" He barked, making wild hand gestures. He shook his head to end his crazy flailing arms and continued on. "Now just where the hell am I?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. _What_ a _hot-headed_ person! She was prepared to let him go, not wanting to associate herself with someone who blew up at the simplest of words. She hadn't been _trying _to insult him. The words had come out on their own accord. His reaction, despite all the patience she had been giving him for the last minute or so, equally peeved her and she stopped abruptly to let him walk off. Then again...he didn't look like he had anywhere to go. She felt shockingly bad for just letting him walk away, his questions unanswered. Thus she once again rushed to catch up with him. "You're in the Land of Fire, or more specifically, Konohagakure." She told him reproachfully.

Ichigo didn't bother to look to her. He kept his attention straight ahead as he continued on. "I have no idea what you're talking about." He told her. He did his best to imagine this 'Konohagakure', but his mind saw nothing. Ichigo had a hard time believing that this place was even _real_. There was no 'Village Hidden in the Leaves' in Japan!

Whatever he said, Sakura did not hear. She was immersed in her own thoughts, curious about this strangely-cloaked foreigner. "How did you even get here?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

In response all he did was shrug. But when a few moments of intense silence followed, he sighed. "I don't really know. One moment I was fighting a Hollow, and the next I was running through this forest." He told her, rubbing his forearm. The forests in this strange land were so very eerie…

"Do you know how to get back home?" She asked him. She chose to ignore the 'hollow' bit. She didn't know what it was, and she assumed he was referring to someone with a hollow heart, as an expression. Not in a million years would she have guessed that a Hollow was a vengeful, power-hungry beast hunting for some tasty human souls.

For a brief moment, the orange-haired shinigami looked down at Sakura. (Who was a good two or three inches shorter than him.) Her question posed a string of his own questions to arise. He had no place to stay, his body was somewhere back in Karakura Town so he wouldn't be seen by anybody, and he was yet to find his way home.

Disappointed in himself, he answered, "No."


	2. Honor or Entertainment?

**Here's chapter two! I'm doing my best to make it different than any other crossover I've seen. I have a plot in mind, too, so don't worry. I failed to mention in the first chapter that I do not own Naruto or Bleach. Though it would be awesome if I did, wouldn't it. Haha. If only.**

**Anyways, enjoy?**

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><p>"You don't even know how to get home? Baka!" She interjected, whacking him on the back of the head like she always did Naruto.<p>

Ichigo stumbled forward, rubbing his head and grinding his teeth. "What the hell was that for? You mad woman!"

Sakura puffed out her cheeks, exhaling her irritation out and away. "You're just a dummy, that's all." She told him, crossing her arms. She ignored the dangerous look he gave. "What kind of person doesn't know their way home? This is 'Konohagakure' for crying out loud! We're the most powerful shinobi village in all of the great nations! Just walk a few miles left and you'll enter another awesome nation!"

The orange-haired boy coughed up his surprise, choking on her words. "Shinobi? Great nations?"

The female raised her eyebrows, giving him another look. Now that she thought about it, he definitely looked like a foreigner. That thought alone was enough to make Sakura wonder where he had come from. However, this was neither the time nor the place to deceiver all of that. "Yes, shinobi. Surely you're a ninja yourself. With that huge sword, you have to be one of the Seven Swordsmen from the mist, right?"

Ichigo shook his head. "I wish I knew what that was."

She narrowed her eyes. Was he lying to her? Everyone knew about the Seven Swordsmen! Everyone! Ichigo should not have been the exception. She felt he was being incredibly dishonest. There had to be something she was missing…

After a brief moment of nothing but silence, her companion stopped. Sakura turned to him, wondering and curious about his reasons.

"If I'm going to figure any of this out, it's certainly not going to be with the likes of you." Ichigo told her, brushing her off as if she was a hair.

As a natural result, she was fuming. "THE LIKES OF ME? What's so wrong with me? I'm an incredibly talented shinobi from Konohagakure, you should be admiring my mere presence!" She barked at him, catching up with a defiant look to her face.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I think I'll pass. Besides, I still don't know what you're talking about. And there are plenty of reasons why I don't want to be near you."

His words only made her angrier. "Well then fire away and explain to me!"

Ichigo sped up his walking pace. He just wanted this dragging conversation to be over with. "You're loud." He told her, making a sharp turn in an effort to lose her. His efforts were futile; Sakura was always right next to him, waiting for an explanation. He sighed. He saw no reason not to humor her. "You're demanding, rough, unkind, and incredibly violent!"

This time his effort had succeeded. She stopped her brisk pace, coming to a close on her thoughts. Was that really her? Was that how complete strangers saw her? It was so incredibly hard for her to believe. Had people told her this before, and was she listening when they did? Annoyance bubbled under her skin, and she was prepared to demand an apology from Ichigo. However, it seemed there were more pressing matters. Already, her new acquaintance was heading for the Land of Fire's borders. They were in unsafe territory.

"Wait, Ichigo!" She called after. He did not turn around, or even take solace in knowing she was finally a good distance away. He had already blocked her out of his mind. This caused her to huff, cross her arms, and argue with herself on going after him. In the end, she decided to do the right thing. She once again caught up to him, reaching out to his shoulder. Her touch inevitably stopped him, making him turn around to look at her.

"Stop right there! Don't go any further!" She told him.

He sneered, "Why?"

Something in the forest was moving. The wind was not the only thing ruffling the bushes, and the trees. Sakura's eyes widened. 'Shit! How far have we gone?' She asked herself. Ichigo noticed the change in environment as well. Both people tensed, prepared to fight whatever there was. Prepared to give their lives to take down the assailant. The two stood back-to-back, slowly turning to get a full view of everything and anything they faced. To Ichigo's right something whizzed passed them. To make matters worse, Sakura heard a growling noise smack-dab in front of her.

It wasn't long before five or six huge, gleaming wolves stepped out from the trees and the vast foliage. Their sharp teeth were barred, their fur glowing in the brief flashes of sunlight that passed through the trees. In all of their magnificent beauty, these creatures were incredibly dangerous. Sakura recognized them clearly as specially trained ninja dogs. Yet not the _normal _type of summons. Each one of them was a beefy-looking wolf the size of an Inuzuka canine. The dogs slowly surrounded the duo, growling all the way. Just being around them was menacing.

Ichigo had never seen such huge wolves in his life. (Well, except for that one captain with a wolf-head back in Soul Society, but he didn't feel that counted.) He looked towards Sakura from the corner of her eye, wondering he per chance she knew anything about this.

To his amazement, the girl had more strength than she violently let on. Without a moment's notice, she rushed foreword and punched the closet wolf in the jaw. The animal sheepishly winced, being hit with such a force that sent him barreling into nearby a tree. As if that wasn't enough, Sakura dashed to the next wolf and gave the same delivering blow to the stomach. Only this one knocked out a second wolf that had been wandering behind it. Ichigo was pleasantly surprised to have met her. In this strange place, he wasn't sure he could take the wolves. And he wasn't prepared to use his Bankai on anything without knowing what he was facing.

Though he couldn't watch the commotion any longer, he needed to do his fair share of fighting too. Even if he wanted to watch what Sakura did, a third wolf did not give him the chance. The wolf jumped right to him, its hands clawing for his face as it jumped through the air. Ichigo clasped his hand onto Zangetsu, the wraps releasing. He swung his blade at the wolf, slashing it cleanly and sending it reeling back. Ichigo was readily prepared for a rebound from the wolf but it was out cold. A curious sight it was to see. As much as Ichigo wanted to stick around to bask in his glory of taking down such a huge monster in one shot, he was distracted by Sakura. So effortlessly she had run to him, grabbed his hand, and zoomed away.

"Let's get out of here!" She told him, her feet so wild they kicked dirt numerous times into his face.

He coughed, wiping his eyes. "Why? I still have to look for someone!" He told her, doing his best to tear away from her grasp. Yet her strength was surprisingly strong for a girl. After a good amount of time wasted trying to tear away, Ichigo inevitably gave up. He held Zangetsu behind his back, allowing it to fasten itself to the red rope he had around his torso. It was so magnificent how Zangetsu could just wrap and unwrap itself when needed.

When they seemed a fair distance away, Sakura slowed down, loosening her grasp enough for Ichigo to pull his hand back and inspect the damage. "Damn, my skin is all red. You nearly cut off my circulation." He mumbled, sending her very disapproving looks.

She waved her hand dismissively. "I can fix that later. Who was it you say you're looking for?" She asked.

He didn't seem pleased on this topic. "Eh, nobody really important. He can handle himself."

"Good, because we're not stopping." She told him, once again firmly taking his hand and rushing forward. Only this time, it didn't work. Before she could successfully latch to him, he forcefully pulled away. Her brows were furrowed as she looked over her shoulder, her eyes gleaming with something similar to irritation. "What?"

"Who said I was going with you? I'll find my own way home!" He told her. His words sounded as if he had spit in her face. His voice laced with disrespect for Sakura.

"For your information, I wasn't planning to take you to 'your' home." She told him, once again reaching out for his hand. He promptly slapped her hand away with her own. She huffed angrily, sending a few loose hairs flying up in front of her face. "FINE! Stay out here alone and die for all I care! Just remember that while you're here freezing, I'll be safely hidden away in a village –a village that always accepts poor refugees- that you'll never find without my help."

He ground his teeth together. "I'm not poor, and I'm no damn refugee! I told you already, I got lost fighting a Hollow and ended up here! But whatever, like I need your help!" He countered, swiftly turning the other way. This whole disagreement between the two of them reminded him faintly of a childish argument. Sakura reminded him so much of Rukia. Who was, no doubt, somewhere safe in Soul Society whereas he was in unknown territory, with some strange girl.

Sakura stormed off, sending the dirt to his face purposely this time. Ichigo watched her retreated form with malice. Though the more he stood there, utterly alone, the more he realized something. Whether or not he liked her, he needed her help. She was right. He couldn't just remain in his shinigami form forever, and when it came time to switch back into his body, he'd once again be a helpless human that needed food. Just where could he find food in a forest? The Substitute Shinigami bit his lip, his mind debating against itself on what to do. He didn't want to die, but he didn't want this 'Sakura' girl to tell him 'I told you so'. To his displeasure, his pride would have to take a back seat if he was going to survive in this strange place.

"Wait, hey, wait up!"

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><p>Naruto felt guilty. Really guilty. Sakura had made such a compelling point. Yet his idiocy prevailed. He really wanted to see Kakashi's face, and would resort to any amount of trickery to see it. As he arrived back through the village gates, he was careful to evade the eyes of others. Although Sakura had not seen the book inside of his orange windbreaker, there was no telling what someone else would do if he was approached about the book. There were countless ninja in the village that wouldn't refrain from ordering him to empty out his pockets.<p>

Though, wasn't he betraying Sakura's trust by ignoring her wishes to return the book? 'Ah, well, it doesn't matter! She'll thank me when I get that picture!' He thought to himself, pumping a fist in the air encouragingly.

The boy swiftly sauntered through the streets, eagerly looking for one of his favorite places. He'd sniff at the air, aiming to smell the familiar delicious scent. The closer he got, the more he felt his fingers tingle. Ichiraku Ramen was so very close. Naruto considered it a blessing that after Pein's attack, it had been rebuilt so quickly. He quickened his pace, determined to get there soon enough. He busted through the doorway (or more like archway) and plopped down onto a stool.

"Pork ramen, please!" He asked. Very quickly was he given the bowl of ramen, which he hastily slurped down. The fact that it was steaming and hot did not stop him. After everything that had happened, he needed some food to fill his empty stomach. It tasted wonderful, that eventually he ordered a second bowl. The happiness never ceased, even when he heard approaching footsteps. Familiar footsteps… Slightly angry footsteps… Naruto chuckled as he turned to see none other than Kiba Inuzuka walk right into the shop. No doubt Akamaru was waiting outside, he was far too big of a dog to fit inside of the shop.

"Yo, Naruto, what's your problem?" He spat, taking a seat next to Naruto and slamming a fist down on the counter's surface. "Kakashi is looking everywhere for you. He's ordering us around left and right, telling us to find you and get his book back. Why the hell would you take Kakashi's book? What were you thinking?"

Naruto sniggered. "I was thinking 'let's blackmail Kakashi into showing me his face'."

Kiba's face lit up in interest. "Do you think that would work?"

"Of COURSE it wouldn't work."

A startling voice entered the shop, and both boys turned to look at Ino. Good kami, she could get annoying sometimes. Ruining their fun moment like that!

"Everyone knows Kakashi loves that sultry. It's not blackmail at all. He's such a well-known ninja that his guilty-pleasure is so insignificant to the rest of the world." She told them snidely, crossing her arms and swaying to sit on the other side of Naruto. "Don't forget Naruto that even you're Sage Mode wouldn't be able to fight off a Kakashi hungry for some reading."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Oh shit!" He mumbled.

Ino felt proud that she had proved her point. Whereas Kiba felt stupid considering he had not realized something so obvious sooner. Kakashi was one hell of a ninja. No matter how strong Naruto had gotten after his special training there was no way he could fight his sensei in such a context.

"Point proven, Ino. Thanks for ruining all the fun." Kiba mumbled.

"Anytime." She refuted. Her eyes rolled at the worried Naruto. "It's no big deal, Sakura will get to you before Kakashi will, anyways."

Naruto shook his head. "No, I don't think so."

"Why's that?" Kiba asked.

He gulped. "Well, because… I, uh, sort of…left her out in the forest. She saw something, and got distracted, and then I booked it out of there."

"You did WHAT?" Ino blabbered. "You nincompoop! I'll be damned if Sakura goes down before our big rematch! She is my enemy, after all!" The platinum blonde quickly stood up from her seat in a very wobbly fashion; she didn't look barstools. She was about to walk out of the shop when she swiveled around and retreated back to Naruto. She poked at his chest. "If I was Sakura, I'd be running as fast as I can back here to give you a can of whoop ass. Then again, I'm not Sakura. Just remember, if I'm asked to look for you one more time by Kakashi, taking time away from my precious day, heads WILL roll." With that she turned on her heel and strutted out and away.

Naruto loudly exhaled breath he had been holding. "She's nearly as scary as Sakura…" He mumbled, turning back to his ramen. Kiba cleared his throat, causing Naruto to turn his attention back to him.

"You should just return the book, dude. It's an honorable thing to do. You are the hero of the village, remember? What will all those kids do when they hear the guy who saved us all from Pein was running around stealing mature books and allowing crazy ladies to attack him?" Kiba told him, shrugging as if he knew what he was talking about.

Naruto sighed in response. Suddenly, he was not that hungry anymore. He put his chopsticks down dejectedly. "If I did that…" He trailed off.

"What?" Kiba asked.

"Do you think Sakura might like me?"

Kiba's face fell. All the tension was for nothing. "That's not really my place to say anything. But hey! If it'll get you to give Kakashi back his book, than it sure will!" Kiba was extremely tired of Kakashi's threatening orders.

Naruto lit up, nodding eagerly. "Right, right. Thanks Kiba!"

A smile played on Kiba's features, he felt as if he had done some good. That smile seemingly faded as Naruto left the shop, not a glance back, leaving a two empty and unpaid for ramen bowls on the counter.

With all of those thoughts tracing through his mind, Naruto was quick to start his search for Kakashi. He let a few Kage Bunshin clones free to search for Kakashi as he travelled to the village gates. That way when Sakura returned, he could tell her all of the good he had done while she was gone. Kakashi arrived soon enough; fairly glad to see Naruto had come to his senses. Of course, Naruto was rewarded with a smack to the back of his head. Still, the realization of his good deed seeped in as Kakashi thanked him and was then on his way, the book open in his palms. Naruto chuckled at this; it was just like his sensei to quickly divulge back into the book after only an hour of being separated.

His mind mainly consisted of Sakura's reaction. He was eager for her approval, anything to show she forgave him. 'And maybe even a small kiss, too~' he thought to himself, grinning stupidly as he stood in front of the gate, his hands behind his back. He saw no reason for Sakura to deny him that pleasure. He was the hero of his village! And he was one hell of a ninja. With all of his excitement, he would have never envisioned the way which Sakura would return. Thus, you can imagine the look of pure surprise and shock on his face as he watched two figures walk towards the village gates from far away.

Two figures. Not one. Two separate people, one of them looking distinctly like Sakura. (Anyone could recognize her short hair cut from miles away.) The person next to her was a good few inches taller than her, no doubt taller than Naruto himself. His hope short-circuited on itself as the two came closer, and he got a better look at this stranger. A male stranger, roughly their age.

* * *

><p>The less Ichigo spoke, the more she liked him. He tended to be kinder when he didn't say anything. The fact he didn't retort anything back after a few minutes of walking was greatly appreciated. For a brief moment, Sakura had felt as if his voice was the worst sound in the world. Completely ridiculing, and unkind! Whenever she made a slight mistake with her words, or left out one important detail, he would bark about her small attention-span, claiming she did not hear everything he'd saidasked. After moments of countless bantering, the two agreed to disagree. Not another word was spoken. Sakura refused to tell him anything more about Konoha. (For that was what she had been doing before and during his heartless remarks.)

More or less, Ichigo felt the same way. Overrun by her incredulous petty pride. (He denied having any pride relatively similar to hers. He couldn't think of himself as proud as Sakura.) He submitted himself to silence after he simply could not take it anymore, crossing his arms. He was still annoyed that this was all happening. Gradually, he became more annoyed about more things. For one, it irritated him how Sakura could see him. Nobody was supposed to see him! He couldn't help but feel this whole issue could have been avoided if Sakura had just been a normal human. That fact alone was enough to spike his interest, only a person that was aware with spirituality could see him. Something like that would definitely come up in conversation, especially since they would soon enter a village in which only Sakura could see him. (That's what he expected, at the very least.)

Ichigo was suspicious about this 'village' Sakura had been going on and on about. If it was some great 'village', why was it a 'village' and not a 'city'. He expected her village was a filty, run down place. It was logical conclusion. Ichigo was unaware of the fact that he was nowhere near Karakura town any more. Nowhere close. That would become apparent soon, however. All in good time. This 'Konohagakure' would provide many answers to Ichigo's pestering questions.

Very far in the horizon Ichigo began to see something. A very proud look overcame Sakura, and she pointed to the gates. "That is my village, and you better respect it."

Ichigo was astounded by the gates. "Holy hell, just how big are those gates?" He asked out of surprise, not really wanting to know. Thankfully, Sakura let him be surprised on his own and did not disrupt the moment by snidely answering his question like she felt the urge to. It was nice for her to bring an outsider to the village who was amazed at the gates. Now came the trouble of showing him the still-repairing inside of the village. It would take a while until they'd get the village back to its former glories. Sakura was just glad that the all "observant" Ichigo hadn't noticed the eerie inside of the village. He was still intently focused on the gates.

Her pleasure was quick to leave when she saw a familiar head of blond hair at the gates. The familiar anger from earlier welled up inside of her. She pushed up her arms (acting as if she had any sleeves) and pulled her gloves tighter.

Ichigo noticed this. "What are you preparing for?" He asked suspiciously.

She waved his question off with one gloved hand. "Nothing you need to worry about. Just, stay a fair distance away." She told him, giving him a fake smile. She quickly looked to Naruto, stretched out her shoulders. 'He's going to pay for his wrongdoings.' She thought to herself, rushing her foot work to walk all the bit faster. That walk eventually turned into a sprint, which then turned into an all-out run. She went her highest speed towards the blond, the wind rushing her short pink hair back.

Naruto knew what was coming, and backed away a few steps as if that would stop her. She was a flash of pink. Before he knew it, or could stop it from happening, she was upon him. Her fury was eminent as she jumped into the air and pummeled him to the ground with a swift kick. "NARUTO!" She called, her kick causing him to fall to the ground. He picked him up by his collar, holding him up off the ground. "I never finished talking, Naruto!" She barked at his, her other hand forming into a hard fist.

Once again he raised his arms defensively. "H-hey Sakura-chan…heh…heh…" He mumbled. He was fearful for his face. He didn't want a black-eye.


	3. Questions and Answers

**Before I get going on this, I just have to ask: if you like it, please review. Good, thoughtful, and insightful reviews encourage me to continue writing. **

**I've had a pretty busy few days, and when I can I do my best to work on this story. I have some pretty exciting twists coming up, I think.**

**Also, the dates of chapter releases are very volatile. My life is busy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Bleach. But, again, wouldn't that be awesome?**

* * *

><p>(Outside Konohagakure Gates)<p>

Sakura was brutal. It didn't take long for Ichigo to figure that out. The pink-haired female was quick to react on the sight of the blond. Their conversation had been lost, for she was far too preoccupied with her rage. The whole ordeal was just a bit frightening, making Ichigo cringe as she kicked the poor blond into the ground. Though there wasn't much Ichigo could say, or do. He was fearful for himself, but managed to gain the courage to take a few steps forward, to get a closer look.

The boy she currently held in the air by the collar was around the same age as Ichigo. (The substitute shinigami felt pride in knowing he was still the tallest in the area.) This boy's attire consisted of an annoyingly bright orange color that Ichigo had to shade his eyes from. Only when he gained the courage to look back, he noticed the marks on his face. For all he knew, those whisker-like marks could be tattoos. Yet this blond boy hardly looked the type to have a tattoo.

Naruto currently held both of his hands in front of his face, looking away from Sakura. Even with his meek greeting from earlier, she was still on edge. "I fixed it all, honest! There's no need to punch me!" He cried.

His attacker raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "How in the world did you manage to do that, Naruto?"

Ichigo took note of the boy's name.

"Seeing Kakashi's face does not mean you've 'fixed' it! You've still disrespected your own sensei!" She barked. "That's taboo!"

"No, you have it all wrong, Sakura-chan!" She tilted her head to the side slightly. Naruto took that as a sign to go on. "At first I had the intentions of burying the book, but I had a talk with Kiba at Ichiraku's Ramen stand. One thing led to another and the next thing I knew I was searching for Kakashi with the hopes of giving his book back!"

The female slowly lowered Naruto back to the ground. Once his feet felt the pavement of the Konoha gates, he sighed in relief. A little too theatrically, he crouched down to the ground and begin to kiss it. That didn't last long, however. No matter how wonderful solid ground felt against his feet, it was in no way delicious. The blond gagged, kneeling towards the sky as he hastily rubbed his tongue.

Sakura shook her head. '_Typical Naruto_,' she thought to herself. She crossed her arms, taking a few steps back as he bounded up from the ground. "That was such a waste of time, Naruto." She told him.

He sweatdropped in the classic anime style and sighed. "Hehe. At least I fixed my wrongs?" He told her. He patted his windbreaker down, smiling at the fact there was nothing hidden under the fabric. "See? The sultry book is gone, returned to its owner."

The duo had come very close to nearly forgetting Ichigo's presence. Sakura turned to face Ichigo, motioning him over with a very impersonal hand wave. He felt obliged to approach, considering this strange village would be his home for as long as it took to find his travelling companion and return home to Karakura town.

He stepped through the gates, finally getting a full view of the village. Ichigo was thoroughly disappointed. The village was nothing but makeshift housing, tents, piles and piles of debri, and people bustling all over to get work done. Not far off, he could even see the tip of one large crater in the center of the village. He looked to Sakura and Naruto, an expectant look to his face. "Just where are we? I thought you said we'd be going to a village." He mumbled, looking at Sakura accusingly.

The realization hit her then. "Oh! This is the village, it's just…recovering…" She told him, shrugging modestly.

He stepped past the two of them, his head turning to take in every little detail. One detail in particular irked him. The normal every-day villagers ignored him, which was completely expected. Humans could not see shinigami, even if said shinigami was a human himself. Whereas other people _did _see him. In fact, they did more than just see him! They approached him! A sea of green jackets and shiny metal plates seemed to sweep over the area around him. Ichigo's hand lingered on Zangetsu's handle.

"Whoa, calm down." Sakura spoke, referring both to Ichigo and the others. With her warning, Ichigo's loosened up, his hand falling to his side. Sakura nodded in approval to him, turning to the shinobi in front of her. In the crowd she saw a particular head of spiky silver hair that jetted upwards. The hair approached, weaving through the crowd. "Kakashi-sensei!" She called as he stepped towards the three of them. "Did Naruto really apologize?"

Of course, it was so like Sakura to say that, of all things.

The Jounin shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure, sure. But that's not really important right now, Sakura." He looked towards Ichigo. "Who's he?"

This man was another strange sight to Ichigo. More than half of his face was completely covered by cloth. Just what was he so afraid to show the world? Ichigo saw this as a weakness, and automatically decided not to expect too much from this 'Kakashi'.

Naruto suddenly spoke up. "That's the same thing I've been wondering."

With Kakashi on the scene, the crowd of shinobi who had been nearby when Ichigo had entered the village dispersed. Whatever the deal was, people expected Kakashi could handle it. He was the Copycat Ninja, after all! Perhaps one of the strongest, and most well-known ninja of Konoha. Even in its battered state, the village spoke for itself when it had such powerful strength like Kakashi.

Sakura knew a time for explanations would have come sooner or later. She walked to Ichigo, putting one hand on his shoulder. "This," she said to Kakashi specifically, "is Ichigo. I found him when I was chasing Naruto outside the village."

"I figured that much. But just what is he doing in the _village_?" Kakashi answered.

The female sighed. Kakashi was as observant as ever. "Well, Kakashi-sensei, it didn't feel right to leave him in the forest, all lost and helpless! I had to do somethi-"

"I am _NOT _helpless and alone!"

Ichigo's voice was loud and very unwelcoming as he shoved Sakura's hand off of his shoulder. The fact that they all assumed he was a weakling made him frown. He saw himself as a strong shinigami, especially since he had fought with Kenpachi _and_ Byakuya, two of the strongest shinigami known. He huffed, and he puffed, as he angrily glared at the three of these strange people. "I didn't even ask for your help! I was just minding my forest when _she_-" he gestured madly at Sakura "-got right in the way!"

Said girl gasped, offended by his words. "_You didn't even ask for my help_? Who was the one who practically begged me to wait for them? Who was the one that froze at the sight of Summons? Who was the on-"

Kakashi raised a hand to stop them there, he didn't want this little outburst to flare any more. "Did you say Summons?" He asked Sakura.

She turned her head to Kakashi, nodding. "Yes, Summons. After punching the first one, I knew they had to be. Their chakra felt so _wrong_ in comparison to normal wolves." She shuddered. "There were about four or five."

Both Ichigo and Naruto were intrigued by this small turn of events, even though one didn't even know what Summons were, and the other wished madly he could have seen them, respectively. Just the fact that this little 'encounter' seemed to pique Kakashi's interest was enough to label it as a 'dangerous situation'.

"I see…" Kakashi mumbled. "Why don't the three of you follow me?"

Sakura and Naruto both looked to the gates, expecting to see Ichigo standing ready. Little did they know that boy was just about as unpredictable as Naruto. Instead of standing by like he should be, Ichigo was seen as a retreated form in the distance. He was relatively far away, and it was a mystery at how fast he must have gone in those last few seconds to get there. Mystery aside, Sakura was fairly angry. Like she had before, she rolled up her imaginary sleeves and stomped her way towards the orange-haired annoyance. It only took a minute or so before Sakura was walking back, dragging a furious-looking Ichigo by the sleeve.

Kakashi nodded. "Well done, now let's get going. The Hokage will need to know about this…" he raised his visible eyebrow, "'Ichigo.'"

Ichigo inquired as to who the Hokage was (or more like, he demanded to know), which caused Sakura to release him. Having questions was a sign he wouldn't try to run away again. She rubbed her hands together calmly. "The Hokage is the leader of our village. Whenever there's something important or, uh, _strange, _she is always told."

With Sakura's new intellect, the three ninja stopped short, causing the unaware Ichigo to barrel into Naruto. They stabilized themselves, Naruto muttering unhappily, and Ichigo refusing to make eye-contact. "What _now_?" Ichigo asked.

Kakashi made eye-contact with his students. It was such a habit to visit Tsunade that they'd forgotten about her condition. There was no way to see her when she was in a coma. The reminder of the damage Pein had done sunk in, and they all scoweled. Kakashi, looking over his shoulder at Ichigo. "Our Hokage is currently…absent from the village…" He said, not lying completely. Everyone was curious as to who was going to be the new Hokage while Tsunade was out.

"Why don't we just go see Shizune?" He said loudly, his suggestion bringing them out of their momentary depression.

Ichigo made a mental note to himself not to bring up the 'Hokage' again.

Sakura nodded. "Sounds like a good idea, Naruto."

The group changed course and veered to the right. They cut between two structures that were currently in the process of being built. Seeing them reminded Ichigo of his previous shock. Sakura had made this village seem to be such a strong, powerful place. Yet it looked like a dump now, just where were all the great things she had spoken about? Before thinking about the consequences of his words, Ichigo came out with yet another question. "So, just what happened to this place?"

Again, more silence. He was beginning to become very annoyed at these constant silences that followed whenever he asked a question. His question was put on a hold when Sakura raised a hand, not bothering to look at him, as she said, "Now's not really a great time, how about I tell you later?"

That of course was a rhetorical question.

* * *

><p>(Later. Much later inside of Ichigo's temporary home: a tent.)<p>

The orange-haired male struggled to find a comfortable position on the hard ground. He eventually rolled over to his back, Zangetsu next to him a few feet away. He was smirking, oddly. In spite of everything that seemed to be happening in his life thus far, he was smirking. He had lowered his defenses, concluding that he would not be attacked, and the villagers wouldn't do anything considering they couldn't see him. From what he had observed, only the ninja could see him. This thought made him scratch his chin, and mumble possible solutions. All he could come up with was that the ninja's sight was the result of a birth defect. Of course, that solution was a _very _stupid idea. A few _thousand _people could _not_ have the same birth defect!

Eventually he gave up, just staring at the tent ceiling with his head rested on his hands. He still had a stupid grin on his face, the reason for that being his amusement. Every now and then Ichigo would leave his tent to wander around with a leaf, or random cloth on his shoulder. The villagers he would pass could not see him, but they _could _see the leaf or cloth. The first time he had realized this was an utter accident. Ichigo was merely minding his own business, and had soiled his hands when a villager had run into him, pushing him into the dirt nearby. That little incident had messed his hands with dirt, which he knew Zangetsu wouldn't appreciate. With his hands handing out in front of him like a zombie, he'd taken a cloth from a woman he'd passed to wipe his hands off of. Following the cleansing of his fingers he had placed the cloth over his shoulder, not thinking of what others might perceive him as.

He was literally a ghost now. Villagers all over were avoiding his tent, the constant flow of people thinning in his general area. Ichigo was proud of himself, for he had found one thing to do while he waited for Sakura. She'd promised to explain things to him if he waited, but was taking forever! The sun was setting, and Ichigo was irritated. He had potentially locked himself up in the tent with his willpower. His bad mood was contagious, and he was afraid of lashing out on the villagers and creating a 'scene'. Whether he liked it or not, this 'Konoha' was his homestead for now. He couldn't afford to be kicked out so early.

A noise from outside caught his attention and his ears perked. He swiftly sat up, crossing his legs and looking to the side as the tent flap opened. In came Sakura, and yet another person. The person following behind her was one Ichigo was yet to meet; he was a medium-height, with black hair that stuck the sides of his face. This boy was incredibly pale, and the dark fabric of his headband only accentuated this. What was more offsetting was his apparel. Ichigo raised an eyebrow as he saw the exposed stomach.

"Ichigo, this is Sai." She said, making the appropriate hand movements. "Sai, Ichigo."

Both males nodded to the other. Though Ichigo's nod was heavier, and seemed almost stressed. Sakura couldn't help but wonder if he always moved in such a jerky way.

"Why did it take you so long?" He asked.

Sakura took a seat on the ground across from him, Sai doing the same. She rolled her eyes. "Being a ninja in this town isn't easy, bud. You try being a medical nin who's always needed by the hospital!" She told him, poking her index finger in his direction. "Besides, it doesn't matter. I came anyways, didn't I?"

"Well, whatever. So what happened to thi-"

Ichigo was cut off when Sakura held up a finger. "Ahem. Hold it right there, prettyboy." She told him. "_You're_ the one intruding on our village; therefore you're the one who answers our questions first."

"Alright, fine." He mumbled, crossing his arms in a child-like manner and laying back on the ground with his eyes directed towards the tip of the tent. He made a swirly gesture with his hand. "Fire away."

His arrogance made Sakura's upper lip twitch. Nonetheless, she did her best to ignore his comment and move on with business. "I brought Sai here to be our mediator." She told Ichigo. In her experience, she found that two people such as her and Ichigo did not mesh well together. Sai was a reasonable, logical person, and would no doubt break any fights up if they occurred. She pursed her lips, taking a moment to breathe before she began.

"So, first off, why are you dressed like that?" She asked him, her eyes shifting over his attire. "It's weird."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes, turning his head to look at the two of them with the intent to beat the crap out of both of them if they didn't shut up. "_This _is weird?" He said, waving a sleeve in front of their faces. "How can you think this is weird? This is the shinigami uniform! Besides, if anything, the two of _you _look weird. What's with that little pouch anyways? What can you possibly fit in that tiny thing?" His words were loud, and incredibly impatient.

"It holds ninja tools," Sai responded in a monotone voice, "And you're a shinigami?"

Sakura was fuming with her anger again, but Ichigo ignored it. He rolled to his side, his head propped up by his arm in a leisurely way. "I wouldn't say a full shinigami, just a substitute." Sai's face was full of confusion. "Eh, long story," Ichigo concluded.

Sakura was at her limit, her anger at the brim and boiling over. "How the hell do WE look weird?" She blabbered, her hands clenched at her side. "You are so extremely despicable! Insulting the ways of the ninja without even _trying _to understand! Just who do you think you are?" Sakura was stopped from pummeling Ichigo when Sai held a gentle hand in front of her. She looked to him, seething. Upon seeing his face, she exhaled out her anger, and nodded. '_Right, concentrate Sakura. Ignore the baboon,_' she thought to herself.

"Anyways," she began. She held her mouth open in the form of a small 'o' for several seconds. Her voice box wasn't working, words could not form. She was so tempted to scream profanity at Ichigo, and rip him to shreds! The only thing she really _wanted _to say was a very rudely worded insult that she had come up with spur of the moment.

Sai saw this, and knowing Sakura for as long as he had, decided to continue on himself. He lowered his hands to his lap, looking from Sakura to Ichigo and eventually resting his eyes on the sword at the back of the tent. "So why is it that the villagers can't see you?" He asked. A look of surprise on Ichigo's face encouraged him to continue. "I was watching." The pale ninja shrugged.

Ichigo's brows furrowed as he lay back down on his back, his head resting on his arms once again. "You know, I don't really know about that… I'm sure they'd be able to see me if I was in my body… Though it doesn't make any sense, why can you ninja see me, but the villagers can't?"

Sakura had seemingly calm down enough now that she and Sai could share equally confused looks at each other. "We don't know that either." She told Ichigo.

The shinigami looked to the two of them, pushing himself up in a sitting position. He didn't make any eye-contact, but his words were indeed directed to them. "Eh, don't worry about it. You ninja are just, unique. I'm sure that's the reason. But it doesn't really make a difference; they'll be able to see me once he tracks me down here." Ichigo looked around his tent, hoping for the person he thought of to hurry up.

She tilted her head to the sideways. Sakura recalled him mentioning another person earlier. "Is this person the one you needed to wait for?" She asked.

Ichigo took a moment to look at her, nodding. "Yeah. We were fighting a hollow when something happened, and I woke up under some bushes, alone." The boy scratched the side of his head in wonder about his situation. Though it was not of much importance, and he automatically changed the course of his thoughts. He looked back to the ground. "So, mind telling me what happened to this place?" He asked them, adding in quietly, "Please?"

Being surprising at his sudden politeness, Sakura was momentarily astounded. It may have taken a moment, but soon she gathered her wits back up to respond. "Well, it happened not to long ago. Konoha was attacked by the Akatsuki."

"Akatsuki?" Ichigo repeated.

Sai nodded. "Yes. The Akatsuki is a band of highly dangerous criminals and missing shinobi. They've been hunting a certain thing that we have here, in our village. A powerful member, named Pein, attacked our village."

"Wait, hold up." Ichigo interrupted, "One guy did all of, well, _that_?" He pointed to the tent flap, referring to the ruins outside.

Sakura shook her head. "No not exactly. He was, for the lack of a better term, _one guy_, but he had multiple bodies. Turns out he was controlling them from far away. His bodies were the ones doing all the damage…they killed so many people…"

Ichigo raised his eyebrow. "Mind telling me what happened to this 'Pein'?"

The female shook her head, gazing at her hands clasped together in her lap. "Pein was defeated, but only after destroying the whole village. Our Hokage, Tsunade-sama, tried to stop him first. But she was so weak from protecting the villagers that were still alive." Sakura sighed, taking a moment to look up at Ichigo honestly. "You may not believe me when I say this, but the one who defeated Pein was Naruto."

It took a moment to process what she said. Ichigo was still shocked at the magnitude of the man's damage to the village. Such pure destruction! And to hear that Naruto was the one to "save" the village made Ichigo further interested, yet confused. "Wait, you're saying the stupid-looking blond kid from earlier stopped Pein?" Ichigo's shock was evident. Neither Sakura nor Sai blamed him. Naruto didn't look, or acts like a heroic hero most of the time. Ichigo had trouble connecting the Naruto he saw (getting easily pushed around by a girl) to a hero who saves villages.

Sakura laughed at his small comment about Naruto's looks. "Yeah."

He shook his head, still in disbelief. "I just don't see it. You pushed him around so easily not too long ago." He mumbled dejectedly, "_That _kid took down an mighty force?" After a moment, Ichigo stopped himself, remembering that he often got the same reaction that Naruto got. Nobody ever expected Ichigo to be a hero either. For modesty sake, he decided not to mention his similarities to Naruto. He wasn't going to be there for too long, thus he didn't see that it mattered if he told them about his trip to Soul Society or not. However, the silence that followed his words was suspicious. To save his rear end from any more questions, he continued with his own. "So why does Naruto let you push him around so much, Sakura?"

Sai turned to look at Sakura as well, as if this was a question he wanted to know the answer to too. With both of them looking at her expectantly, Sakura smiled meekly. "Well, there are extenuating circumstances. Naruto's been my teammate for years now, and he knows I'd never try to severely hurt him…"

That seemed like such a major excuse to Ichigo. There had to be something else, and he had a hunch that it related to their closeness. Naruto _had _called Sakura using the honorific '-chan'. To him, it was showing affection, or endearment. Though he did not push it, her answer was fine for now. He knew what he wanted and was content for the time being.

Sakura and Sai soon stood up, gathering their weight onto their feet and heading outside of the tent. For a moment, Ichigo thought they would leave without saying a good bye. As if called by his mind, a head of pink-hair poked through the tent flap.

"Uh, we'll come get you in the morning." She mumbled, disappearing. Ichigo just sat, staring at the tent flap. That couldn't be all she had to say, could that? Even though they hardly got along, Ichigo found it hard to believe that was all she had to say. He sighed, turning his head to Zangetsu. He could hear the sword laughing at him, for reasons that were still unknown.

A voice from the other side caught his attention. Once again it was Sakura. "We'll figure this all out tomorrow…so…yeah…"

With that she was gone, and Ichigo was left alone to get a 'good-night's sleep', which he found nearly impossible on the cold hard ground.


	4. Doppelgänger

**I've been busy. I AM an aspiring actress, and I've had an audition to go to recently for a place that is sort of like an "actors" recruit. I got invited to go, but unfortunately it costs much to money (3 grand) to go. Thus, I must skip out. But I will not give up! I WILL find something else to put my mind to! **

**Here's another chapter. I'm not too sure where I'm going with this…any suggestions? Again, I love nice reviews? I even appreciate flaming, because even though I ignore it, just having it there is enough to let me know you angry people care about my story enough to rant about it. ^^**

**Also, I altered the plot a little. If you notice it, feel free to point it out. xD I personally think it's obvious. You should get used to this altering of the plot, it's going to happen often.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto OR Bleach. But seriously, if I did I'd live in a huge mansion with a tiny giraffe like in that one commercial. .**

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><p>That tent was hell to sleep in. Ichigo hated it. No, he more than hated it. He <em>despised <em>it. The ground was cold, hard, and not to mention dirty! Plus, there was no way to be sure someone wouldn't waltz right in and attack him out of the blue. For some reason, the ninja in this place looked so powerful. Something about them seemed so very…_thicker_. Ichigo did his best to keep thoughts like these out of his mind, but being a natural pessimist did NOT make it easy.

To make matters worse, being alone was never an option. Zangetsu was always there, chuckling at something Ichigo might have said to himself, or _thought. _A fairly private thought had once crossed Ichigo's mind, and Zangetsu had the nerve to mock him about it. So what if he thought Sakura's hair was kind of cute? This was the first time he had ever recalled someone with _pink _hair. The color pink, left completely alone, practically screamed out 'cute'. (Though from what he had seen, he knew Sakura's headstrong, and rather violent personality was anything by adorable.)

Off and on Ichigo would drift off to ether in dream. Only to be awakened by Zangetsu, or the ruffling of bushes and trees outside his tent. These shinobi were _always _on the move. _Always_. Not an hour went by where they stood still, not passing and disturbing his temporary synthetic home. By the time sunrise came, Ichigo had gotten a meek amount of hours of sleep. At the latest, he was deprived. But it didn't particularly matter, considering he wasn't in his real body. Though Sakura and the others did not know that, and it was a fact he intended to keep to himself. Just like they thought his sword was just…a sword. Oh, if only they knew it was a mystically thing called a Zanpakto! Imagine how confused they would become! The thought of Sakura not knowing something for once was enticing…

Once fully awake, he rested his head on his arms in a leisurely position, waiting for someone to come. Waiting…just waiting… His eyes fluttered closed occasionally, but again, this did not last. The shinobi were all the more active when the sun was up, and daytime had begun.

Being patient was not a strong personality trait for Ichigo. He found himself fiddling with everything and anything he could find in the tent. This dragged on waiting period was enough to make him mumble on and on to himself angrily. Just how long did they expect him to wait? Ichigo grumbled, he felt he had to do something. Thus, he completely put aside his orders to stay inside the tent until someone got him. He felt there were far more important things he could be doing!

The shinigami got up from the ground, attacking Zangetsu to his back in a fluid motion. He wasted no time in throwing the tent flap open. His impatience had gotten to him, and he had completely blocked out the presences of those around his tent. Thus, it was a shock when his hand, swiping the flap aside, hit something hard on the other side. He froze, an annoyed yet worried look painting his features. Had he…_hit _someone?

Ichigo stepped aside from the tent, letting go of the fabric to see a person on the floor. More importantly, this person was a _familiar _person. Although he had never seen her before in his life, she reminded him so much of someone he knew back home. On the ground before him was a girl his age, who had long black hair paired with eyes that were lavender and void. Her garb was all to match her eyes, light shades of purple. Just something about how she rubbed her head so meekly, and the reaction when she saw him was familiar. And at the same time, it was so very difference.

"A-ah!" She exclaimed once she had gotten a good look at the person before her, "So sorry! I didn't mean to run into your tent!" She hurriedly got up, dusting herself off before preparing to walk away.

Ichigo stepped her way. First off, he was determined to become acquainted with this girl who seemed so familiar. Secondly, now that he was no longer alone, there was a chance she could help him figure out what was happening. To keep his chance at answers from walking away with a red face, he held his hands out slightly, stopping her. "You _ran _into my tent? Don't apologize for something so stupid. _I _am the one who should apologize. I _hit _you with the tent."

She raised her eyebrows questionably, taking a moment to look at the tent closely. With her expression calmed down, she turned back to Ichigo. "Sorry." Was all she could utter.

Ichigo's upper lip twitched. "Don't _apologize _for _apologizing_!" He told her. She seemed so very unsure of herself. The way she walked, and talked, remind Ichigo so much of Orihime. Even in a world such as this, there was something that reminded him of home. For a moment, he didn't feel quite as alone as before.

"Oh. So-"

She managed to stop herself in time, looking down at the ground. Ichigo took that moment to introduce him, reaching out a hand to her. "Kurosaki, Ichigo." He stated blandly.

"My name is Hyuuga, Hinata. It's nice to meet you, Kurosaki-san." She told him, at first very hesitant to shake his hand. It was such a _foreign _gesture. Thus, in the end she refrained from shaking his hand, and merely bowed her head. Her head remained bowed for a good, long while. Until something overcame her features, a strange sensation of realization. Her eyes widened, and her already pale skin became lighter as she looked towards Ichigo's face. "Y-you're the one everyone's t-talking about!" She told him, pointing in a very ignorant matter.

He tilted his head to the side. "Huh? People are talking about me?" He asked. It came as a surprise. Ichigo had expected to make an entrance, but not a big enough for information about him to circulate. Ichigo had never seen himself as such an important person, and to be honest, it felt weird to suddenly be put on the spot.

"Is it true? Can you really fly?" She asked, sounded oddly hopeful.

"Flying? Really now, flying is the best they come up with?" He replied, obviously someone was spreading the wrong things around town. He crossed his arms, shrugging nonchalantly. "I don't think so, but I've never really tried. Don't act all surprised. Isn't flying something common for ninjas?"

She shook her head. "No." The only place she could think of where flying ninjas existed was in those little kunoichi storybooks, where female shinobi were portrayed as princesses, rather than fighters.

Of all things, Hinata seemed _disappointed _that she couldn't fly. Her strange reaction only reminded him more of Orihime and her crazy imagination. Nonetheless, he shook that thought off. He had more important things to worry about, fantasizing about his days before this mess in Konoha was less important. He nodded to Hinata, stepping out of her way. "Have you seen Sakura around?" He asked.

Once again, she solemnly shook her head. Hinata was distasteful to the fact that she was of no help to her new acquaintance. "Iie*. I haven't." She told him, "So sorry…"

Ichigo shrugged it off. "It's not a big deal, I'll find them soon." He mumbled, leisurely beginning to saunter away. Though what Hinata did was not expected. Silently, she followed him. The girl kept a good distance, and if she wasn't so similar to Orihime, Ichigo would have blindly gone along with her as a shadow. It was hard to ignore someone who so blatantly reminded him of another. He couldn't help but wonder what Orihime, Chad, and Ishida were doing. No doubt Rukia was safe in Soul Society, where she belonged. Still, a part of him hated the fact she was gone.

He wandered blindly, not too sure where he was going. Hinata never piped in any directions, thus Ichigo went with what he felt. Now and then he would stop to scratch his head and look at the surrounding area. He had an inkling that he was traveling in circles. Nonetheless, the orange-haired teen trudged on. He made numerous turns. Left, right, right, and left again. He didn't waste anymore time making small talk with Hinata, or any other that approached him. (Someone _actually_ approaching him was rare. People were automatically repelled by his strange attire.)

It was when he caught sight of a familiar head of pink hair that he sighed with relief, looking up to the sky and thanking whatever deity was watching him. He perched behind a pile of wood, not far away. Sakura was with Naruto, and that one-eyed man Kakashi. They seemed to be in a deep conversation with two people Ichigo had never met before: a young boy and a very old, yet strong seeming man. The whole group looked genuinely happy to see each other. It was a mysterious sight to see. This was the first time Sakura actually looked_ nice_, not violent. Ichigo raised his eyebrows, doubting her honesty.

From the conversation he had overheard, Ichigo concluded the boy and the man were Carpenters. The boy, at the very beginning, was quick to give out his name; Inari. The group spoke of so many things, from rebuilding Konoha, a fight with a man named 'Gato', to a former teammate named 'Sasuke'. The last topic interested Ichigo. The expression on everyone's faces changed. The glow behind their eyes became solemn, and a little nostalgic. Whatever it was, Ichigo doubted that Naruto was telling the whole truth. This 'Sasuke' must have done a lot more than merely get into a small 'fight' with Naruto.

Apart from Ichigo, Sakura at first was so excited to see familiar faces. Not to mention proud! To think that a mission from so long ago would create such strong bonds! Her spirits were lifted to see how much Inari had grown over the years, and how observant he was to her own growth! When he commented on her being 'pretty', she smiled bashfully, scratching behind her ear. At least Inari knew what to say to a girl! After three years apart, the first thing Naruto said was that she 'looked the same', even when she had hinted to him! She'd practically laid out the proper words to say! That day still annoyed her, making her fists clench in an irritated fashion. Inari was a lucky boy, considering he grew up with manners, completely unlike her blond friend.

The topic of Sasuke came and went, making her fists relax. The urge to punch Naruto from his mistakes so long ago was lost when she remembered Sasuke. She still couldn't get her heart to stop fluttering. Even with him away, it still hurt. His leaving was one of the worst things that had ever happened to her. All Sakura had ever wanted was to be accepted by Sasuke. Unfortunately, fate was a fickle fiend. The one to pick up the pieces after he left had always been, and will always be, Naruto. She was grateful to her friend, and that gratitude only grew when he acted so calm and collected in front of their old acquaintances. He acted as if it was no big deal. Though she knew how completely wrong that was.

After the group had parted, leaving just the original Team 7 members (minus Sasuke, of course), a sort of eerie aura overcame them. First off, Sakura was not the only one to realize the presence of another, right behind a pile of wood feet away. Kakashi noticed it as well, taking a moment to look over. However, both he and Sakura were distracted when Naruto's voice rang in. He was reminiscing.

"I know what revenge is." The blond mumbled, looking to the ground. Leaves from trees far were scattered by the wind, creating a gloomy mood. Naruto continued, leaving Ichigo unnoticed. "I _thought _I understood him…but I really didn't. No wonder all the things I said to him never got through to him…"

His reference to the past only made sense to Sakura and Kakashi, who both had a sort of sad, deadpan look to their face. Not in a humorous way, no. The reminder that everything Naruto, their number one knuckleheaded ninja, said that day and was blatantly ignored by Sasuke was painful. Everyone had expected Naruto to return to Konoha, with Sasuke close in tow. And _everyone _was shocked and sad to see that he returned battered and bruised, with no Sasuke in sight.

The mood became lighter when Naruto continued. "If I can't understand his pain, I can't laugh with him." The blond looked up to his comrades, carrying a small grin. "It might hurt a lot, but I want to fight him for real this time. 'Cause I want Team 7 to laugh together again!" He leaned his head back, his grin turning to something stupid. Sakura laughed, and behind his mask Kakashi smirked. Even Ichigo, who still went unnoticed, had a brief look on his face.

'_You always know what to say, Naruto,_' Sakura thought to herself.

With the wave of nostalgia passed, Kakashi finally got a decent amount of time to stare blankly at that pile of wood. An orange hair or two poked out, shining in the daylight. By now Naruto had seen this, and for the sake of his pride nobody told him that they'd sensed their new ally long ago.

Ichigo knew when he was caught, and he should have expected this to happen so soon anyways. It was only natural, he _was _dealing with _ninja_. Speaking of ninja, he glanced in the direction Hinata was, but was astonished to see she was gone. So quickly, without even leaving a trace she had vanished. He shrugged it off. Surely Hinata had her reasons to leave so soon, and it wasn't at all offending.

The male slowly got up from his crouch, his hands in the air to a certain degree of pride. He acted nonchalant; as if he didn't care that the looks they were giving him were anything but friendly. What Ichigo had heard was no doubt something they wanted to keep to themselves. "…didn't mean to bother. I just got so damn bored in that tent…" He told them, his eyes narrowing towards Sakura. "Don't you think you forgot something?" He made a slight gesture to himself.

In return, the roseate narrowed _her_ eyes. She crossed her arms defensively. "Sorry." She responded coldly, her words completely chilling. "Important business came up." She turned her head away, as if to ignore him.

Kakashi decided to break the ice. He hadn't gotten the chance to talk to this newcomer yet, and there was still so much to learn. Besides, Tsunade was down, and _somebody _needed to figure out what to do with Ichigo, a person who could only be seen by ninja. That was the only thing Kakashi knew about this teen, and he was curious as to what else was remained a mystery. With that thought in mind, he waved off the brief disagreement between Sakura and Ichigo, ending their hateful looks. They both turned to him when he said, "It's good you're here, I've been meaning to ask you some things." Kakashi sighed as he took a few steps back. "All three of you, come with me." With a small wave, he led them away.

(The Crater in the center of Konoha)

"Look at this place!"

A female ninja with spiky red hair, dark skin, and cat-like eyes was astonished to see such a wreck. Her eyes were open wide as she absorbed it all. The place was destroyed. It was, without a doubt, a complete catastrophe. However, seeing this massacre was nothing to her. All she could think about was the current state of Konoha in comparison to her precious village, Kumogakure.

"Ha! Konoha had it coming to them. If their village was more fortified like ours, this would have never happened." She rambled, crossing her arms with a proud look to her face as she followed behind two of her companions.

One teammate, the only male in the team, turned his head. He looked at her, slightly amused by her words. He had short, snow-white hair that poked out over his steel-plated headband. Sucking on what seemed to be similar to a modern-day lollipop, he chuckled and replied, "Of course they wouldn't. Flat-chested girls like you, Karui, would scare them away! There would be no need to fi-!"

A very large, point rock pummeled him to the ground, originating from Karui. She was brimming with anger, and had thrown anything she could find to get her teammate to shush. "_FLAT-CHESTED?_" She growled, menacingly approaching.

The male, known as Omoi, had wide eyes as he picked himself up off the ground. His hand clutched at the top of his head. "OW! Karui, why are you flat girls always so violent? Can't you be calm, like wondrously curvy Samui over here?" He gestured to the third ninja.

The one Omoi had identified as Samui was truly a beauty to behold. Her blond hair was cropped short in the back, but long enough in the front to reach her shoulder. Unfortunately, her angelic face was anything but the truth. Despite her bountiful chest, and wide hips, she had an ice-cold personality. Her name fit her perfectly. 'Samui' meaning cold. The female seemed detached from the conversation at hand. She merely walked forward, ignoring her two rowdy teammates. She was more interested in Konoha's destruction, and the cause behind it.

"There are no guards, and the village is in ruins…" Samui mumbled, stopping when they approached a Konoha shinobi. His eyes were blank, labeling him a kinsman to the Hyuuga clan. The trio stopped in front of him, Samui continuing on with a question, "What the hell happened here?"

The Hyuuga nin explained it all to them in just three words. "It was the Akatsuki."

He needed to say nothing more. Team Samui understood him perfectly. Anyone who knew of the Akatsuki knew of the strength their group possessed. So much strength with such little numbers! It was astonishing to anyone who _really _thought about it. There was no time to mourn at the devastation (though the group didn't plan on doing that anyways). Samui got right down to business, requesting an audience with the Hokage. The Raikage, the brother of Team Samui's sensei, had urgent news. Even Samui couldn't phantom how the Raikage's wishes would play out.

'_Just what is he thinking…?_' Samui thought to herself, the Raikage's angry face in mind.

In time, the Team got their wishes. They were escorted to the Hokage's tent far off in the village. The walk there was harsh. Everywhere they looked there was evidence of destruction. Pieces of buildings, loose soil, and fallen trees were everywhere. Not to mention that personal items, like toys and clothing, cluttered the ground. It was hard to face it, but Samui kept a stone-cold expression on as she led her companions onwards, following the Hyuuga nin in front of her.

They wasted no time. Karui and Omoi stationed themselves outside of the tent, while Samui situated her position on the inside. Along with Samui was the Hokage's sleeping form, and another female called 'Shizune'. The conversation was quick to get to a certain point, and Shizune was forced to explain Tsunade's condition.

"She's _unconscious_?" Samui asked blandly, her brows furrowed.

Shizune nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. But I'm Tsunade-sama's aid; I can take her letter for you." She added. From what she knew, the team Kumogakure had sent to Konoha had more than just a few kind words. Any shinobi confrontation between the Kage always had to do with letters, and even some mutiny. (Though Shizune wished against the mutiny.)

Samui, however, would not stand. "I need to speak with whoever's in charge while she's…_gone_. It's urgent!" She tried not to look at the Hokage's shriveled body as she said that. No doubt the Hokage would be _'gone' _for a while.

When a new person entered the tent, Samui was slightly outraged. The whole reason she had put Karui and Omoi outside was to _prevent _people from interrupting her discussion with the Hokage, or in this case, the Hokage's aid. Whoever this person was, they had no right to be in the tent! Or at least, that was her belief until she actually looked at the person. A very aged man entered, leaning his weight onto a solid cane. His head was wrapped to cover his forehead and his right eye. Though even that was not the most distinguishing trait of his person; it was his scar. The scar shaped like an 'x' on his chin. The man's appearance practically screamed 'cruelty' and 'experience'. His age suggested he was wise, and Samui decided to let his entrance slip.

The mild surprise on Shizune's face was ignored by both Samui and Danzo as they went on. Danzo said one thing, and Samui said another. The end result of that conversation led to the letter being passed to Danzo, and an eternally shocked Shizune.

Danzo, one of the most treacherous men in Konoha, was the new Hokage.

(Reconstruction Site of the Hokage Tower)

Ichigo was led to a less-battered area of town. With him were Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto. The four of them all took respective seats on the ground. Although they tried to feign hospitality, it was obvious to Ichigo they didn't care whether he was comfortable or not. All they cared about was answers. For the three of them sat in a line facing Ichigo, all with varying expressions on their faces. The shinigami didn't waste time trying to figure out what these people thought of him. Something like that would take far too long.

Kakashi cut to the chase, clean and simple. "How did you get here, Ichigo?"

Finally being spoken to, the teen shrugged. "I don't really know myself." He stated with a humorous grin. Though the three people before him were anything but amused. He sighed, looking down to the dry dirt of Konoha that they sat on. "I was doing everyday things when it happened. I was fighting a Hollow named Jiryokou when it happened. One moment I was slashing at his chest, and the next I was standing in the middle of nowhere." He shrugged absently.

Naruto didn't like Ichigo one bit. His dislike of Ichigo was born from two simple facts: Ichigo had come to Konoha alongside an abnormally happy-looking Sakura, and he was tall. Though this dislike only grew when he listened to Ichigo clearly, hearing the way he so familiarly talked to everyone. Though the dislike had to be put aside with Ichigo's words. Naruto wasn't the only one confused by what the shinigami had said. "A Hollow?" He asked. The others sighed. That was a question that had been meaning to ask as well.

"A Hollow is a human soul that couldn't pass on to Soul Society and stayed in the human world for too long. They like to hunt humans because of emotional conflict, or something like that… But that's all I know." While saying that, Ichigo was carefully setting Zangetsu on the ground to his side. (It was rather uncomfortable to sit with such a large sword…In fact, sitting was nearly impossible.) Ichigo paid no attention to the ninja, currently eyeing Zangetsu with reproach.

They were still extremely skeptical, and certain things did not make sense. Sakura was the first to continue with the Hollow approach. "Just why were you fighting this '_Jiryokou_' in the first place?" She raised an eyebrow.

Ichigo gave a half-assed response, leaning back with his hands supporting his weight. The dry dirt felt oddly moist under his fingers. "It's what I do." He told them, shrugging. "Ever since I met Rukia, I've been fighting Hollows…" Still, the look of bewilderment never left their faces. (Excluding Kakashi, since Ichigo could not clearly see his face.) He shook his head, and scratched his chin. His eyes were half-lidded and looking intently at the three in front of him. "I'm a Substitute Shinigami." He told them dryly.

The dislike Naruto had once had for Ichigo was slowly diminishing into nothingness. It only took _four _words to impress him so much that he actually liked this new person in town. He crawled onto his knees, looking at Ichigo expectantly. "Matte, matte*!" Naruto called out, he cocked his head to the side in surprise, and blurted "Shinigami are _real_?"

Ichigo merely nodded, and that was enough. Sakura's eyes widened to the sizes of dinner plates, and Kakashi had a sly smile that even he could not conceal under his face mask. Most of all, Naruto looked as if he was going to choke on his shock. This was all very entertaining for Ichigo. He looked at them, grinning stupidly. He could get used to this. Back at Karakura Town, nobody would care or believe him if he told them he was a shinigami. Here, in this strange new place, was a whole different story. All over, people were shocked out of their minds! It was invigorating!

Nothing would change what would happen next, however. All the surprise they felt, and the entertaining air the area had would not stop their fates. As much as they secretly wanted to postpone the future by exaggerating on small things, the future was bound to happen sometime. They could not escape it any longer. Ichigo stopped with his mindless grinning as his body tensed and stiffened. Something in the air had changed…something so strange.

The confusion on their faces, and the rest of the trio's questions were lost when Ichigo's senses went off. He felt more people enter the village, but they were far different from shinobi. Their aura felt more like Reiatsu, _real _Reiatsu. To make matters worse, they were getting closer and closer to him. Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto noticed the difference too. Unfortunately, it was more difficult for them. They didn't know it yet, but whatever was currently in the village was _not _another ninja.

(Exactly ten minutes and thirty-two seconds ago.)

Hinata didn't know what she was doing. Ichigo was looking for Sakura, and as much as she wanted to hand around and help, she was worried over something so small and insignificant… Yet she could not stop herself. Her feet were in control. Before she knew it, she was standing behind a pile of wood next to Ichigo, familiar voices on the other side. And when she took a moment to look over the wood, she nearly fainted.

It was Naruto. Naruto was talking to old acquaintances with Kakashi and Sakura! Hinata felt her whole body tremble. Her ill-fated social workings were doomed from the start. Ever since the fight with Pein, talking to Naruto had become even more unbearable. Just what could she saw? To make matters worse, she hadn't spoken to Naruto formally in days, and could not tell what he thought of her daring confession. To be honest, Hinata didn't even want to know. She liked their relationship before the fight with Pein. It had been friendly, and casual. Of course, she had still harbored her feelings, but remaining anonymous had allowed her to just be herself. She saw that nearly impossible now…

Though another part of her desperately desired to know what Naruto thought. Especially since after her untimely defeat, the Kyuubi broke loose. Just what did that mean about Hinata? The Kyuubi only became loose when the Jinchuriki's emotions became unstable! Of course, that could mean so many different things.

'_You're over thinking it,_' she told herself, lightly slapping her cheek, '_The Kyuubi got loose because you nearly died, and Naruto considers you a good friend…_' That thought did nothing to cheer her up, however. Sensible inner-Hinata only made the real Hinata sadder. She wanted Naruto to admire her as a strong shinobi. A good friend was not enough.

In the end, Hinata decided she wasn't strong enough to confront Naruto again. She couldn't make things more complicated until she had enough power to pull her own weight in this world! Being a Chuunin was not enough power if she wanted Naruto and everyone else to stop worrying about her. In spite of all her development, she still did not believe she was strong enough; her confidence was lacking.

Thus, afraid to face Naruto, she quietly eroded into the shadows and away from Ichigo, going the opposite direction from them. Hinata didn't know where she was going, but something in her gut told her it would be a good time to go watch the gate. Ichigo was proof that anyone who wanted to enter Konoha could.

On the way she passed the Hokage's tent. She momentarily stopped to look over her shoulder and pray for the best, before continuing on. "I hope Tsunade-sama is okay…" Hinata mumbled. She had yet to find out what happened to their wonderful Hokage. After passing that tent, the walk away was brutal. Particularly because she passed a rather abnormal looking man as she did so. Little did she know that man was Danzo.

Putting the man's strange appearance, she walked forward. Hinata failed to notice he, someone she did not know of, was going to the Hokage's tent. (Though she could have sworn she'd seen him around the village many times before.) If she had known who he was, and all the bad things he was known for doing, she would have acted. Hinata, however, was yet to connect the face with the name. To her, the name 'Danzo' was a person whom she doubted she would ever meet. It was ironic to think she had just walked past him.

Near the gate, Hinata felt some odd and eerie. It felt incredibly strange, and so very wrong. Her breath caught, and she stopped smack-dab in the middle of the village gates. The shinobi around paid no attention to her; everyone was busy in the reconstruction of Konoha. It was no doubt she was bound to see things they would never acknowledge. Which, she did see things that day. That was a small part of her fate.

Much like Naruto had spotted Sakura and Ichigo, Hinata saw two figures emerge from the horizon. She wasn't sure what to think about it. Instinctively, she became defensive. "Byakugan." She mumbled, closing her eyes briefly. When her lavender orbs opened up again, what she saw was strange. The coloration of the world was wrong. Everything was black with white lines, with the exception of the green chakra lines on the body. However, what she saw approaching was not green. It was anything _but _green. Hinata was comfortable to say it was on the opposite side of the color wheel.

The approaching people did not have green Chakra; they had something _orange _that ran through their bodies. And it was much lighter, the strands and the connections less rough and frayed. Hinata began to think she wasn't using the Byakugan right. '_Unless that's not Chakra at all!_' She thought to herself madly, biting her lips. "What to do, what to do?" She mumbled, pacing back and forth, her Byakugan still in action.

Her own period of confusion allowed the two people she saw to get much closer to the village than she would have preferred. One moment they had been at the horizon, and the next they were only yards away. At that distance, however, it was easier to the see the details. Hinata was particularly disturbed by what she saw. One was a short female, dressed exactly like Ichigo! And the other, even more absurdly, had orange hair identical to Ichigo's (Only this so-called twin wasn't dressed like a ninja, nor was he dressed like Ichigo and female stranger.)

'_Perhaps they're not enemies_…' She thought. One of them was wearing the same attire as Ichigo, and she had to assume that meant they had some type of relation. Hinata quickly looked away, rubbing her arms madly. She closed her eyes, releasing the Byakugan. In her mind she went over possible scenarios for her meeting with them. Though she didn't turn to look at them, their footsteps were a giveaway that they were near.

_One, two, three, four, five… _She counted down the seconds until they would get to her. _Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven… _It took them quite a while to get there, but Hinata (oddly) felt relieve when they did. She briskly turned around to look at them, but they walked right past her. The two completely ignored her! At first, she felt offended, and was prepare to go express her sorrows about being ignored to someone who might care, like Neji. That idea, however, was dismissed when she saw the taller newcomer.

Before they took too many steps into the village, but were still a good distance away, Hinata shouted out, "_Kurosaki-kun?_" She pointed, and walked towards them. They both stopped to look at her, and their faces were anything but warm and welcoming. Not realizing their momentary surprise, she went on, "Is that you, Kurosaki-kun? I just saw you a minute ago. Why are you dressed like that? And _who's your friend_?"

Her last words made the muscles in the female spasm, her upper-lip twitching. "You know Ichigo? Where is he?" She ordered, taking a step forward to grab Hinata by the shoulder. But she missed. With fast reflexes, Hinata evaded the hand by taking a sharp step sideways. Rukia was not pleased. "Tell me now! Where is Kurosaki Ichigo?"

Hinata gulped, looking to this female. She was a little bit shorter than Hinata, and had short black hair that jetted out at the ends. Not to mention her eyes were adorably huge! Despite the tension, Hinata smiled. "Isn't that Kurosaki-kun?" She pointed to the Ichigo-doppelganger.

"What? Of course not! That's Kon!" Rukia told her, jabbing at Kon's sides.

Kon grimaced. Rukia's poking hurt. "Eh? Onee-chan*, don't do that! You might hurt Ichigo's body!" He rubbed his side gently, as if Rukia had plunged her finger deeper than she really did. Kon always was such a character…

"Kurosaki-kun's body…?" Hinata mumbled. The conversation that had just played through gave her deeper insight into the whole situation. And when it came down to the realization that this "Kon" wasn't really Ichigo, she gasped and pointed accusingly at Kon. "Why do you look just like him?" She then swung her finger in Rukia's direction. "And why are you dressed exactly like him."

Rukia felt stupid. After all of this time talking to this girl, she'd missed out on one important detail. By the end of that minor exchange, it came to her, and she immediately face palmed.

"Wait, you can see me?"

* * *

><p>* <em><strong>Matte<strong>_まって means 'wait'.

* _**Iie **_いいえ means 'no'

* _**Onee-chan **_means 'big sister'. (I'm too lazy to add the Hiragana writing, sorry.)

* **Note: Sometimes I will slip in some basic Japanese terms. Try to get used to it, I can't really change my habits…**


	5. Defiant Duo

**ANs Will be at bottom of story from now on.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Bleach, but I do some fish in my freezer and bleach for my laundry. Don't you think that counts for something?**

**Jiryokou **© **Dahlia Derbyshire**

**Naruto and Bleach **© **Kishimoto Masashi and Kubo Tite respectively**

* * *

><p>(Nearby Konoha Gates)<p>

Kon was a pervert, and that fact was known by every person who had ever met him. Thus, he reacted naturally when he saw Hinata. Her curvaceousness caused him to gape, hunched over slightly. He was unaware of the drool that ran down his mouth; all that he thought about was Hinata in comparison to Orihime. He wasn't sure who he liked better…

The little devil (though not really little in Ichigo's body) was prepared to run forward to hug Hinata and bury his face in her bosom tightly. Unaware of Rukia still being as perceptive as ever, he rushed forward. A small arm blocked his path, and he ran right into it. Rukia's arm throttled at his neck, causing him to fall over to the ground.

"Behave!" Rukia stated, crossing her arms.

Kon pouted, rubbing his/Ichigo's neck in pain. "_Why? Onee-san?_"

Rukia briskly ignored him, turning her attention back to the obviously confused Hinata. She sighed, puffing out her cheeks in effort to relieve stress. She stepped forward to Hinata, holding out both hands in front of her, clapping them together once for dramatic effect. "Listen, I need to see Ichigo _now_. There's urgent news from Soul Society that he needs to here, and I'm pretty positive he's here somewhere."

Hinata, much brighter than some perceived, decide to milk the situation. She wanted to know more about this girl, and her connections with Ichigo. Rather than giving any information, she countered with questions of her own. "Why are you so sure that he's here?" She asked.

The girl's brows furrowed as she looked Hinata up and down. Was this girl serious? Rukia wasn't entirely sure how to answer, for she didn't want to give out too much information all in one sitting. However, Hinata did look very official, and held herself with a certain esteem that Rukia thought she could trust. Though the answer she would give was disappointing. Nervously, and half-ashamed of herself, she fiddled with her fingers and stared at her feet. "Well, I think he fought the same thing that transported me here. Damn Jiryokou…" She mumbled, turning to look up and see if Hinata believed her. Hinata paid no attention to the last, hardly audible comment.

Indeed, that story was very believable to Hinata. She smiled, and nodded. "I know where he is, I was walking with him just a moment ago." She made a gesture with her hand, walking in the general direction she had come from. Rukia, and the whining Kon trailing behind her.

(Somewhere Else)

Naruto was now doing his best to take Ichigo into consideration. If what Ichigo said the truth, and shinigami really _did _exist (an ideal that made Naruto grin), then there was no reason to be angry. Though the whole height thing still peeved him, Naruto was sure he could learn to get over it. He was more interested in the shinigami-part of the situation. Though despite all the overwhelming questions he had to ask, it seemed fate had other ideas for his time.

Aside from the strange feeling in the air near the Konoha Gates, the patter of feet (or more like paws) turned their attention to an approaching figure. This was the first time Ichigo had ever seen such a huge dog. Riding on the horse-sized canine was a boy who looked the same age as the rest of them. He wore some type of leather-ish jacket (a good choice, Ichigo thought) and had two fang-resembling marks on his cheeks. Like all the other shinobi, he had a steel-plated band, and looked very unfriendly.

"Yo." Kiba called as Akamaru pawed towards the group. He grinned at Naruto, remembering the little 'pep talk' he had given him. A part of Kiba wondered how that went, but the more sensible part knew there was no time to talk. Only time to explain. Big things were happening, things that he doubted even Kakashi could foresee. He felt guilty to be the one to tell them. Hiding his rowdy emotions was a difficult task. So much was going on!

"Hey." Naruto and Sakura greeted in unison. Kakashi gave a brief nod of his head. It was then Kiba spied a mysteriously tall, orange-haired guy who looked very close to their age. Kiba tilted his head to the side, stopping Akamaru as they approached. His movements were jerky as he slipped off Akamaru's back, only taking a brief second to look at Ichigo suspiciously. He had never seen someone who wore clothing like that before. Was it a new style?

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but Kiba quickly cut him off. He held up a hand in effort to stop his friend from uttering a single word. "Just listen to me, I'm not here to chat like I was earlier." He said, nodding solemnly. He gulped, an action that stiffened the bodies of those around him. (Everyone except the confused Ichigo, of course.) He gently brushed Akamaru's fur coat before continuing. He didn't make eye-contact. "Tsunade's…she's…she's been dismissed!"

A sort of rage for the issue boiled up inside of Kiba; a rage he could not control. He briskly craned his neck to look at Naruto, knowing he would be affected by most. Naruto's shock was no surprise to Kiba. "Some guy named Danzo is the 6th Hokage! I don't know him, but he's known as a pretty shady character. I can't believe this!" Kiba kicked at the dry Konoha dirt.

"Danzo?" Naruto and Sakura breathed. They had heard of Danzo, more than anyone could imagine. Sakura's breaths felt caught in her throat, and Naruto's fists were beginning to ball up. Both of them agreed that this was blasphemy.

Kakashi merely sighed. "I have a really bad feeling about this…" He mumbled. He knew exactly who Danzo was, and although the old man had good intentions, his means of meeting said intentions weren't very honorable. The ROOT was a dangerous group that nobody wanted to mess with.

Ichigo watched the interaction between the four. This whole 'Hokage' business seemed to be critical. He shifted his weight to one leg, scratching his chin as he watched. This 'Danzo' character seemed to have a lasting effect on everyone. A very _bad _lasting effect. It seemed nobody really had a happy face whist talking about him. It was intriguing, and Ichigo wondered if Danzo was anything like Aizen. That thought brought him to a whirlwind of bad memories, and the reminder that Aizen was still at large. He had to get soon, and fast! Yet, he felt an eerie obligation to the people of Konoha. It was so very suspicious…

"And that's not all!"

Kiba's voice pulled Ichigo to shore from drowning in his memories. He quirked an eyebrow in response. '_What more does he have to say?_' He asked himself, crossing his arms. He couldn't imagine what else there was. The information he had already shared seemed so major. Just how much worse could the situation get for this nin? Nonetheless, Kiba went on, jumping onto Akamaru's back.

"He's given permission to hunt Sasuke as a missing-nin!"

Ichigo took a moment to watch the scenario unfold. The moment those words were uttered, a light dimmed in Sakura's eyes. Had he been looking away, he would have missed it. Lately, he found his eyes often strayed towards Sakura with an interest. She and her friends were all so mysterious. This 'Sasuke' person was obviously dear. Naruto had a pale look to him, and Kakashi (yes, even Kakashi) had lips that curved downward.

Naruto seemed to be reacting much more than the others. He took a step forward, swiping his hand in front of him as if to dismiss this from ever happening. "No! They wouldn't do that! Granny Tsunade would never let this happen!" He gulped, looking to Kiba for answers. He found none. Kiba was just as hurt as the rest of them. The seriousness of his look countered Naruto. At that moment it felt as if the weight of air was pushing down on Naruto, crushing him. His knees shook, desperately attempting to keep his body up. In the midst of all the news, he managed to say a few words: "What the hell do you mean? Why is this happening?" He couldn't help it; his knees gave in and became the only things holding him up.

Their friend shrugged, gently stroking Akamaru in a way that was laden with remorse. He wished he could have done something to stop this all from happening…if only there had been a way to delay Danzo from taking the position, and to bring Tsunade back.

Kakashi, from that moment on, was determined to bury his true emotions. His mind was racing with thoughts, but his face remained emotionless. Sasuke could be considered a little cousin to him. Kakashi had taken the time to teach Sasuke the Chidori, and to nurture his skills. This was how Sasuke repaid him? The man sighed, walking to Naruto and placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Sasuke _is _a missing-nin. Being hunted until death is the usual punishment. It was because of you Tsunade had always been so lenient." He paused, closing his eyes. The darkness of his eyelids was oddly comforting at the moment. "Now that she's unable to resume her position of the Hokage, the protection Sasuke had from death is gone."

While all of their words passed by, Sakura said nothing. As it was, breathing became more of a chore. Her heart was heavy with the news. She always held Sasuke so dear, everyone knew that. (Not including the confused newcomer, Ichigo.) Her hands held over her chest, as if to hold her heart together. It was so close to breaking… The more she thought about it all, the more a typical emotion ballooned inside of her. Hatred. Hatred for the man who was putting a bounty on Sasuke's head, and for all the people who were going along with it. Her hands willed themselves into tight fists, her eyes narrowing with a disgusting look.

Out of nowhere, she voiced her thoughts. "I'm going to see Danzo. Someone has to stop this." She nodded to herself, swiveling to face the other way. A quick hand to her shoulder stopped her, only making her emotions more intense. Expecting for the hand to be Kakashi's, she shrugged it off violently.

Ichigo grimaced, rubbing his hand. "What the hell is wrong with you? I don't know what's going on, but even I can tell this is no time to be so stupid! Storming to this 'Danzo', and beating the living daylight out of him _won't_. Solve. Anything!" He made a wild gesture with his arms in the direction she had intended to go.

The roseate frowned. Somewhere in her gut, she knew Ichigo was right. Although his little outburst was not appreciated (especially by Kakashi, who was already prepared to stop her), his words were true. What he said made sense. Still, Sakura didn't want to admit they were right. In her eyes, the situation was not fair. Tsunade hadn't woken up yet and so soon she was being undermined. Already someone had taken her place, no doubt intending to lead Konoha into a period of dark times. Why was it she was the only one who could see that?

She realized that wasn't so when Naruto pulled himself up from the floor. "I'm going with you, Sakura!" The look on Kakashi's face made him obligated to continue. He strode forward, standing beside Sakura. His blue eyes were boring into Ichigo's. His respect for Ichigo was lost. How could someone just stand aside like he was suggesting? Naruto wouldn't stand for that. "I can't stay calm. I won't let anyone lay a finger on Sasuke, especially not Danzo!"

The sight was odd. Naruto and Sakura agreeing on something… Ichigo frowned as he watched the two take steps away from the group. They seemed so determined, as if their life was nothing up to this point; as if their true destiny started right then and there.

Both Kakashi and Kiba took a stand. They approached the duo, each grabbing the hand of one and pulling them back. Kakashi was first to speak. "This is exactly what Danzo wants. He knew you would react like this."

"Don't be morons. Think." Kiba cleanly stated, releasing Sakura's hand. He took a step back, allowing Kakashi to continue with all the talking from now on.

"Naruto, Sakura, I know this is hard for you." He let go of Naruto. He glanced at each of them as he said there names in earnest. They had to know this was serious. "I know you can't just sit around and leave things like this, but you have to. The Jounin _haven't_ voted yet, therefore Danzo is the Hokage for the time being. If you rush up to him, he'll become defensive and throw the both of you in jail. Just take a moment to breathe and think rationally."

The defiant duo didn't listen. Naruto and Sakura pulled themselves away, still determined to talk to Danzo. They wouldn't let the empty threat of jail fool them. They both declared their departure and headed away. The only obstacle was Kiba and Akamaru, who currently stood in their path.

The blond boy ground his teeth. "I swear, if you try to sto-"

"Naruto, you have the Kyuubi locked inside of you." Kakashi's words stopped them both dead in their tracks, forcing them to turn and look him in the eye. (Nobody noticed the peculiar look of curiosity on Ichigo's face as Kakashi continued.) "If you go to him, you'll be playing right into his hands. He'll lock you in the village, you and Sakura both, and then you'll never be able to find Sasuke."

These developments were strange. Apparently, Sasuke was more than Ichigo had originally perceived him to be. The shinigami raised his eyebrows as the group went on and on. It seemed every conversation led to Sasuke. To make matters worse, Kakashi mentioned a beast. Naruto had a beast inside of him? '_Just what are you shinobi hiding…?_' He thought to himself, crossing his arms and absent-mindedly scratching his chin.

(Half-a-mile Away)

Sai felt weak, and defeated. His little 'talk' with Danzo had left him scarred. The conversation replayed itself in his mind over, and over again. He couldn't ignore it. Danzo's voice just sounded so cruel, and unjust. The way he spoke of Naruto, as if Naruto was an animal. How could the beloved hero of the village be something so little to Danzo? Naruto was Sai's comrade, and friend. Sai would do nothing to betray him!

Yet his resistance was failing. The seal on his tongue paired with his invincible contract with ROOT made Danzo's wishes reality. It was even more vital now that Danzo was the Hokage. (News always traveled fast in Konoha.) If Sai was ordered to keep an eye on Naruto and prevent him from leaving the village, then that was what he would do. '_Don't expect me to do it happily, Danzo,_' he thought to himself, fighting the urge to spit at Danzo's tent as he briskly walked away. First thing was first, he had to find Naruto.

(Back at 'Somewhere Else')

Despite his questions, Ichigo was left with nothing. His new allies were severely lacking in the information department. They told him absolutely nothing. Instead, Kakashi merely disappeared, and Sakura and Naruto sped off. (What they were speeding off to? Ichigo would never know.) He was left with Kiba and that huge canine. Unfortunately, their first ever conversation started off on a bad note when Kiba blurted out:

"So…are you really a strawberry?"

It was a stupid question, and Ichigo had heard it_ so_ many times. Kiba had a hard time of controlling his laughter, clutching his stomach as he hopped onto Akamaru's back and rode off and away into the horizon. Yet again Ichigo was alone, with nothing and nobody. He didn't count Zangetsu, the Zanpakto was silent and never said a single syllable.

The shinigami decided to take a little walk. He started off pacing, trying to piece together everything he knew about Sasuke and Danzo. In the end, he came up with a sizeable conclusion. Sasuke was obviously close to the two teens, a closeness that Ichigo felt with Rukia. They were comrades, they had to be. Obviously, Sasuke did something and he was gone. Both Naruto and Sakura had feelings of abandonment, and had no way to vent except for random arguments with their sensei. Whatever was going on, it was juicy. Especially when Ichigo took consideration of Naruto's 'condition'. Just what was this 'Kyuubi'? Who could he visit to find out more?

Ichigo's doppelganger, otherwise known as Kon, was a sketchy figure. Hinata wasn't sure what to think about him. His eyes always looked in inappropriate places, and he never had anything interesting or useful to say. It was always the same disturbing comments. Rukia was not at all affected by Kon. '_It must be something I'll have to get used to,_' she thought to herself. Hinata was under the impression that Rukia and Kon would be staying for quite a while.

Rukia, despite what Hinata thought, was thoroughly annoyed. With every word Kon managed to spout, she fought the urge to kick, punch, or bite him. Anything she'd do would only harm Ichigo's body, and that was bad. Orihime was not around to heal anybody. They were left to fend for themselves, and to stay alive in this strange place.

"So, where exactly are we?" Rukia inquired, her mind pestered by the fact she felt lost. She was a highly-esteemed shinigami, for Pete's sake! She should be back in Soul Society, back with her fellow shinigami! Not in this strange place where she sensed absolutely _nothing_. It was unbearable to think she, of all people, was completely oblivious.

The Hyuuga smiled. "You're in the Land of Fire, Konohagakure." She looked over her shoulder at Rukia to give a brief, yet warming smile. "It's really nice here, you'll get used to it."

Believe it or not, Rukia had knowledge of Konohagakure. Well, not the village specifically, but of the land. It was an Elemental Nation, far back in time. They must have been centuries behind, many centuries! She bit her lip, worried. If Ichigo was indeed in this world, was he aware that they were currently unable to get back? The only way to return back to normal time was currently _in _said time, no doubt lurking on the streets of Karakura Town. Still, this would prove an interesting conquest. Ichigo was probably the first shinigami to ever go this far back in time. Did he know of all the History he was witnessing?

Without being heard, Rukia cursed under her breath. "Damn Jiryokou…"

Up until that point, Kon had remained suspiciously silent. He'd merely been starting at Hinata's backside when a spark in the air hit him. He heard the familiar footsteps. Ichigo was close, maybe even too close for comfort. Kon said nothing about this; he didn't want to leave Ichigo's body. There was nothing else to go into! The stuffed lion was back in Ichigo's room, so obviously far away from where they were! He bit at his nails, thinking of ways to divert the group's attention. He wanted to stay on two feet for as long as possible. He would have to milk it.

Kon opened his mouth to say something, anything, but was rudely cut off. Neither Hinata nor Rukia had been paying attention to him, they'd been focused on the path ahead. It was Rukia who, out of the two, first felt Ichigo's Reiatsu. "That's him!" She mumbled, stepping up her pace.

Hinata fell behind when Rukia and Kon bounded past her, Kon eagerly trying to sway Rukia's mind. "No, that can't be! I think I'd know if _Ichigo _was close!" He told her.

"Stuff it, Kon." Rukia blabbered, unaware of the irony. She simply wanted Kon to be quiet so she could focus. And indeed, he was silent, and she did focus. She led the other two pass piles and piles of debris and crowds of people to a semi-open clearing. She could recognize that head of orange hair anywhere. "ICHIGO!"

He heard her voice, how could he not? Rukia's voice was so loud and obnoxious; Ichigo couldn't believe he had almost missed her! He turned, shocked to see her there. Why was she here, of all places? Not to mention he was under the impression she intended to stay in Soul Society after her rescue. If anything, he was offended. She had made it so clear she intended to stay in Soul Society, yet here she was, obviously _not _in Soul Society. His brows furrowed, and he chose to ignore Kon trailing behind her. (Though he had to admit, the pleasure of knowing he could have his body back was nice.)

"What the hell, Rukia?" Ichigo spat. Hinata winced at his harsh language. The exchange of happy greetings was lost. He was not happy to see Rukia for a multitude of reasons. Yes, secretly he was relieved to know that she still existed, but that was beside the point.

Rukia narrowed her eyes, sprinting towards him. He was still as tall as ever. She poked his chest. "Don't use that tone with me, _substitute shinigami_." (The fact Hinata had just learned that shinigami were real didn't phase anyone. Not even when the blood left her face and a loud gasp left her lips was she noticed.) Rukia's mocking tone caused Ichigo to roll his eyes. "We can talk about this, just find us a place where we can speak without being bothered."

The one place… Ichigo had to think about it thoroughly. What was the one place they could go where they'd never be noticed? The one place where they'd be completely ignored and nameless?

(Ichigo's Tent)

Nobody ever bothered Ichigo in his tent. He had learned that lesson the hard way. Thus, when it came to him, he was quick to lead them all towards it. For reasons unknown, Hinata decided to tag along. (Though it wouldn't make any difference, he intended for her to be a guard outside of his tent.) The space seemed all the more cramped with both Rukia and Kon inside. Zangetsu currently lay behind the real Ichigo, who had his legs crossed. Rukia sat adjacent to him, formally sitting on her ankles. Whereas Kon was sprawled out on the ground, not really caring what they'd talk about. (He was peeved. Soon they'd have to find a new body for him, and nothing would ever be as comfortable as Ichigo's.)

"Start talking, Rukia." Ichigo wasted no time. As soon as they were all seated, Hinata standing outside, he began. Something was going on. "I want to know what's going on. What are you doing here? More importantly, why am I here?" He rested his elbows on his knees, leaning his head down to exasperatedly sigh. It wasn't even half-way into the afternoon and he was already exhausted.

She shook her head. "That's such a stupid question. You should know what's going on, Ichigo. This all ties back to the very last thing we were both doing before we were pushed into the past."

"Pushed into the past? You don't mea-"

She held up a hand to stop him. "Yes, I do mean it literally. But that doesn't matter right now. The Hollow you fought, the extremely strong one called 'Jiryokou' did this. He sent us here using his strange powers." She nodded knowledgeable, going on, "I was in Soul Society when I was ordered to Karakura Town. I wasn't the only one ordered. Renji was too. We went down, and ran into Kon." She gestured to the doppelganger. "He had no idea what was going on. Apparently you had gotten to Jiryokou first. I went as fast as I could to assist, but the last thing I saw was your orange hair. You were gone, vanished. Renji distracted Jiryokou so I could make a plan, and when I got one we all fought…but…"

Ichigo tilted his head to the side. "But what?"

"But Jiryokou was always one step ahead of us. Always. One moment he'd be under my blade, and the next he was right behind me, unharmed. The whole in his chest was the last thing I got a chance to look at before I was thrown into a tree. Kon was with me, apparently he tried to take on Jiryokou himself." Rukia took a breath, pleased to see how well her explanation sounded. But it wasn't enough for Ichigo.

He bit his lip, looking away. "So it's Jiryokou who's doing all of this?" He sighed, turning back to look at Rukia. "Is there a chance you and Kon aren't the only two who were fooled by Jiryokou? What about Renji?" The thought of having some back-up in this strange place put an ounce of hope. Ichigo was desperate for home, despite all the exciting developments.

She shook her head dejectedly. "Sorry Ichigo. I know Renji…" Rukia paused out of instinct. Did she really know what happened to Renji? "…He's smart. He would have realized what was happening and gotten out to call for help. No doubt Jiryokou been stopped…and killed…"

It came quick to Ichigo, and it was obvious. If Jiryokou had died… "So we're stranded here forever?" He yelled, standing up. He hastily strapped Zangetsu to his back. "I can't…I won't allow this. Some dumbass Hollow can't beat me, I won't fall into his messed up mind game!" He angrily headed for the tent flap, throwing it aside. (Thankfully, without hitting Hinata again like earlier.) He stopped to poke his head in at his two friends.

"Kon, get up. We're going to find you a new body."

The scene looked so strange to Hinata. She watched as Ichigo hastily exited the tent. She opened her mouth to ask him what they were going to do, when a feminine hand reached out and pulled him right back into the tent. With a loud 'thump', she knew he'd fallen to the floor.

"Jeez! Rukia!" Ichigo blundered.

"Shut up, Ichigo, just shut up! You don't know half of what's going on, so don't make rash decisions without consulting us first, your team!" She told him, rubbing her hand gingerly. Pulling Ichigo back in was a lot of work. "We might as well stay here and decide our next move."

He sighed, pulling himself up to kneel. The ground was hard, and he couldn't believe he had rested on it so easily before. "Fine, whatever." He told Rukia rudely as he crossed his legs again, making sure to push Kon aside to give him more room. "Where exactly is 'here'?"

"Finally, a sensible question." Rukia said, smirking. She gestured around them (pretending the tent didn't separate them from everything outside) and said, "'Here' is an Elemental Nation. A part of Japan's history. You've probably been told your in a village called 'Konoha', but there's much more to it than just that. Konoha is the Hidden Shinobi village of the Land of Fire. There's several other lands, and most of them have their own villages as well. We're literally walking among our history."

Ichigo quirked his eyebrow. "So we're still in Japan?"

She shrugged. "Yes, and no. These people don't know this place as Japan. In fact, Japan is yet to be an island. This is all one super-continent." Her eyes glittered with the knowledge. It was strange to think all the meaningless information shinigami were taught actually came in handy. "You must be wondering why there are no Hollows here, and the explanation for that is simple: this place has no Reiatsu."

Confused, Ichigo gaped. No Reiatsu? Didn't everything have Reiatsu? Rukia saw his confusion, and went on, "Well, this place does have it, but the people don't. Times are different here. These people, or ninja more specifically, have a thing called Chakra. It's both physical and spiritual energy. Here people live happier lives, and the Chakra is so strong that Hollows hardly last an hour in this place. Even Jiryokou would have problems with the ninja here."

From what she said, Ichigo was under the impression that Chakra was strong, and Reiatsu was weak. It made him feel small, to think he was surrounded by people that (if what Rukia was getting at was right) could easily squash him like a bug. "In other words, we're weak here."

It was her turn to be nervous. She bit her lip, looking apologetic. "Yeah, basically. Everything but our Bankai is powerless against shinobi that are above the middle level here, whatever that is."

"Chuunin." He responded.

Not knowing what he said, she ignored it. "_Gesundheit_*"

Ichigo scratched the back of his neck. Things did not look good for him. A little angrily, he thought aloud. "So Jiryokou intentionally sent us to a place where Reiatsu would do no good. A place he knew we'd stick out, and could never win in…damn genius…" Things didn't look too good for the shinigami. For now they were stuck in a world where their powers (most of those powers, anyways) would do nothing. They were literally defenseless sitting ducks. The thought made Ichigo angrily slam his fist into the ground, startling Rukia and Kon. He got up from his spot on the ground. Gently nudging Kon's side with his foot, he said, "Stay here, Kon. Rukia and I will go out and get you a new body." He glanced to Rukia. "Do you have the glove?"

He was referring to the glove that could bring his shinigami form out. Rukia nodded, which was good. Ichigo had the distinct feeling that one day he would need to be in shinigami form. But for now, he felt the villagers needed to be able to see him if he was going to adapt into their society and eventually figure a way out.

Ichigo headed out of the tent, followed by Rukia. Hinata came to attention, lightly following behind them. Both shinigami stopped to turn to her, shaking their heads in unison. Ichigo was about to 'dismiss' her when a thought occurred. They needed somebody who had a vast knowledge of the village if they were ever going to find Kon a new body. Rukia seemingly realized this two, for she kept her mouth closed as well. Albeit Hinata was confused, she didn't say a word. The duo before her looked deep in thought.

Quickly turning to face forward, Ichigo said, "First things first, we find Kon a body. I don't know what we'll do for you, Rukia. It's not like there's any Gigai nearby." He shrugged, and she nodded. She was completely aware of her situation. "The faster we find Kon a body, the faster I can learn more about this place so we can formulate a plan to get out."

Not wanting to crush his spirits, she kept her negativity to herself.

'_That's impossible,_' she thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note ::<strong>

**Hola everybody. I'm doing my best to get this out. I've started an outline. To be honest, this story can go wherever I want it to, but I do indeed have a plan.**

**I'd like it if you guys would leave reviews, or even better: suggestions! Have any characters you want to see? Please, tell me, I'm writing for **_**you**_**. **

**Anyways, I'm doing my best to get these done on similar days. I'm thinking one chapter, approximately 5,000 words, every week released on Thursday/Friday would be good, don't you?**

**Once again, have any suggestions, please review and I WILL reply. But only if you ask me a question. If you give me some half-assed compliment, I'm definitely not going to take a minute to respond. But if you have any questions or concerns (that are obvious) I can assure you, I will respond in the utmost urgent manner.**

**Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL REVIEWS. I read them all and my heart soared. I'll do my best to keep this interesting for all of you.**

**Anyways, Adieux for now!**

**P.S. I'm having computer issues.**

**P.S.S. release dates may be easily swayed by this.**

**P.S.S+S. I feel I should apologize in advance. Hehe…**

***pronounced [ga-zoon-tight]**


	6. Thus, the Plot Thickens

**Bleach © ****Tite Kubo**

**Naruto © ****Masashi Kishimoto**

**The concept of Jiryokou © ****Dahlia Derbyshire**

* * *

><p>( Some Random Pathway Near Land's Edge )<p>

The ninja's mind felt ready to implode on itself. Sai was thoroughly confused, and unsure of how to handle his situation. He viewed Naruto as such a great friend, just imagine how self-defeating it would be to follow Naruto like a spy. '_I don't deserve his trust._' Sai thought to himself. There was no doubt in his mind that it was _because _they were friends that Danzo was forcing him to do this; Naruto would never suspect Sai of being a good-for-nothing cheat.

As his mental battle ensued, the nearly nonexistent emotions began to reveal themselves. '_No, don't be angry at yourself. Be angry at Danzo,_' Sai thought to himself, only to be countered by other thoughts. '_You moron! You still have a choice in this._' Obviously, his conflicted thoughts were _not_ making this any easier.

His pace was extremely slow. He didn't bother to run through the treetops. He'd find Naruto soon enough, and when he did, he'd be condemned to a life of self-loathing. But for now he was content in postponing that time by walking as slow as he could, completely unaware that the very person he was trying to avoid was searching for him at that very moment.

The possibilities of his mission entered his mind. Naruto was as unpredictable as ever, especially in his prime. Anything could happen. Sai doubted his ability to merely watch from the sidelines in a near-death situation like Danzo would want him to. If Naruto was attacked by a whole army of shinobi (something that seemed eerily possible) would Sai bother to extend a helping hand like he should? Naruto had taught him one of the most important concepts to a ninja: that a comrade was more important than a mission.

Sai sighed, massaging his temples exasperatedly. All this thinking he had been doing recently had given him a splitting headache. At this point, he worried for his sanity. Especially since there was no doubts in his mind that, at any time during the day, a ROOT member could be watching.

Danzo was no fool. The man could be aware of Sai's predicament. More importantly, Danzo was a man who knew what he wanted in life, and if spying on a subordinate who was _supposed _to be spying on the Nine-Tails meant getting said things, it would happen.

'_I don't think I have the privilege to relax anymore…_' He thought.

It was just his luck that he felt approaching people, so very _similar_ approaching people! He stopped to look forward, practically ripping his eyes from the safe sight of the dirt path. Before him he clearly saw two distinct heads of hair, hair that could be seen miles away! Anyone who was anybody knew who that hair belonged to. It was painfully obvious. Pink and blond; Sakura and Naruto were here to (unintentionally) mock Sai's morals.

"Sai! We've been looking for you!" Naruto called out, waving a hand. He and Sakura quickened their pace, eager to approach Sai. They were yet to notice something was off, both being severely unobservant when it came to anything _but _a full-out brawl. Sai approached the duo on his own speed, nevertheless, the usual emotionless expression painted on his features. Those empty eyes of his flickered between the two, waiting for the beginning of a conversation Sai got the distinct feeling he wouldn't like.

Naruto was the first to jump into the scene. "We've wanted to ask you something." His reply was so quick, and easy. He didn't wait for a moment for Sai to ask what it was; anyone with a frontal lobe could have predicted Sai's response. Thus, he continued on, "Tell us more about Danzo."

It sounded most like an order. The two looked at Sai expectantly, and he felt a little sorry at how much he would disappoint him. Though he_ had _expected this, one day… He knew this conversation was inevitable, and he should have been quicker to avoid it. Naruto's blatantly obvious introduction to the topic should have been a warning sign for Sai to evade. Unfortunately, doing something so rude to two people he had begun to lay his trust in was increasingly hard to do. Complex human emotions were just that…_complex._

His shocking answer was short, and sweet. "I can't." He stated blankly.

Not to his surprise, the two before him became defensive and accusing. They both slanted their bodies forwards, fists slightly clenched together. Sai felt a little bad. Couldn't they trust his reasons? Hearing their words hurt slightly. Naruto yelled out a 'Why not?' while Sakura became ensnared with an 'Are you taking sides?' question. Sai didn't know how to rebut.

"No." Sai responded, taking a brief moment to see the confusion on their faces before he went on, "I literally can't talk about him. Because of…" He opened his mouth wide, making sure to tilt his head back to give them a better perspective. The marking was quite clear to them. It was a seal. It fit squarely on his tongue, and looked difficult to remove. Sakura had never seen anything like it, and it was no surprise when her thoughts centered around what Tsunade might do if she knew about this.

Naruto inquired as to what it was, and Sakura was very determined that all in good time things would begin to make sense. The more Danzo became involved in their lives, the more difficult their lives became. She sighed, crossing her arms. "It's a seal…"

Sai nodded, shutting his mouth. "Yeah, all the root members have it. Danzo put it on all of us, so if we try to talk about him our bodies will be paralyzed, rendering us defenseless and unable to speak."

Sakura's eminent shock practically vibrated off of her skin. "That Danzo's really cautious…" The seal felt and looked completely unfair in her opinion. It was like taking away a person's natural rights. Stripping them of what made them: their voice. She gulped, forcefully preventing her eyes from widening any more than they already were.

As mentioned before, Sai was ready to explain everything. He'd known one day the two would come asking questions. Heck, anyone in their situation would have done the same thing. He began with, "Danzo and the foundation are top secret. We've done some pretty shameful things to protect Konoha. By placing the seal on us, he can make sure information about those deeds never get out. Even in confinement, or near-death, not a single person could make us talk." Sai took a break, to look at their startled faces. "That's how he's protect Konoha for so long. He really does care."

The medic wasn't sure what to think. It was so dishonorable to do that to his own men, but she couldn't really blame him. Previously, she was aware that Sai's organization was secret, and had their own fair share of skeletons in their closet. This whole situation was still a little difficult to come by, and fully understand. She couldn't think much more rationally up until that point, however.

The thought of Danzo's devotion to the village made her laugh. If he was devoted, wouldn't he show a little class before completely uprooting Tsunade like he did? Even more so, wouldn't he give even the slightest bit for Tsunade's promise about Sasuke? Sakura was quick to bring that up in the dialogue, expressing her dislike clearly with wild hand gestures. Danzo seemed like such a hypocrite. A hypocrite that was plotting to kill Sasuke… She felt her heart flare that moment, and she had to close her eyes to calm herself.

Sai seemed thoroughly surprised to hear that. During his talk with Danzo, the new Hokage had failed to mention anything of the sort. It perplexed him, to say the least. To think that Danzo was withholding information! Yet it did not set Sai off the edge, or render him speechless. Danzo was a sketchy person; something like this only seemed natural.

Needless to say, the pale ROOT ninja was having an explicitly unlucky day. Something that became obvious with each second that passed. He first _felt _them, and eventually he _heard _them. Before he knew it, they were standing before the trio, one of them with their blade outstretched.

"Tell me everything you know about Sasuke!"

( Ten Minutes Ago )

Finding a new body for Kon was difficult. Ichigo and Rukia could still remember how complicated it had been to find the stuffed tiger, and in this place where they doubted it would be that simple, their hopes were wavering. It's not like they could just walk down the streets and take one from a villager. (Especially since both Rukia and Ichigo could not be seen by villagers, and a ghost stealing dolls would send the already disaster-stricken village into panic.) The same went for dead bodies. Despite all the mass destruction that had occurred, the people of the village were alive and well, a story that piqued the interests of Rukia.

"Hinata, do you mind explaining why everybody looks so…_happy_? Despite the fact they're all living in poverty." Rukia asked, looking to the slightly taller and much bustier girl beside her. From that side, she saw a slight curve to Hinata's lips, signifying, of all things, a smile.

Indeed, Hinata was smiling. Konoha was indebt to two very strong people whom she admired deeply. (One more than the other, of course.) She sighed contently. "No, not at all, Rukia-san." She replied, straightening out her back. She wanted to tell this story with pride. "The villagers are all grateful. Had it not been for Tsunade-sama and Naruto-kun, they would have died."

The short shinigami raised her eyebrows in question. "How did they manage to do that?" Rukia didn't know who Hinata was referencing, but she spoke about the second person with a nearly inaudible hitch in her voice. Even Ichigo didn't know as much of the story as Rukia was inquiring and Hinata was about to let on. Sakura had only told him the bare minimum, completely forgetting any detail. It was seemingly important to Ichigo to know Naruto's strength for, well, _future _references.

The Hyuuga closed her eyes gently, her hands crossed in front of her. "Well, they protected us from an Akatsuki villain named 'Pein'. The Akatsuki is an organization of S-class criminals and traitors who are trying to collect the Tailed Beasts. In fact, Pein –their leader– came here in search of Naruto-kun, who was off training, I think. One thing led to another, and Pein began to raise into the sky. He planned to blow up the whole village." A sad gleam overtook Hinata's eyes.

She remembered that moment clearly._ Everyone_ saw Pein rise into the sky, and merciless say those few words. Nobody knew what he was doing, but everybody could tell that whatever it was, it was anything but good. She gulped at the memory of herself at that moment; trembling and pale, yet still prepared to give her all to protect her village.

Pushing whatever she could aside for the time being, she went on. "Tsunade protected everyone using her summon from the blast. Everything but the people was destroyed. I remember being stuck under a big piece of wood, luckily set free when a cousin of mine came to help. Nobody could believe just how ruined everything was…" Hinata looked forward, in the distance was something she knew her companions couldn't miss. She pointed to it, and within moment's notice, they gasped inwardly.

"_That's _the crater Pein caused when he released his Jutsu. He was floating in the very center of it." She gulped. It was still hard to believe one person could do so much damage. Putting a slightly brighter face, she didn't hesitate to continue. "Luckily, Naruto-kun came back from his training afterwards. He fought Pein, and…" Hinata's gut told her to leave out the part where he was nearly defeated, and she stepped in. The part that caused her so much pain to remember; Naruto's face as she was falling was pure fear. Hinata never wanted to instill such an emotion in him every again.

Hinata was a great storyteller, in Rukia's point-of-view. The suspense had been building as Hinata went on, explaining everything. When Hinata trailed off, the shinigami was left eager. She hastily imposed, "…_and_…?"

The kunoichi sighed, the smile from before returning to her. "He fought Pein, and he won. Something he did got Pein to give the lives back to all the people he killed during his invasion. Naruto-kun came back to the village as a hero." Hinata felt her eyes water. Naruto was officially a hero, he'd finally been accepted by the village. She felt so incredibly happy for him, that she was shedding small tears of joy as she remembered it.

Her tears didn't go by unnoticed by Rukia, or Ichigo, but they knew not to step in. The happiness on her face was clear, and astounding. The tears could not be those of sadness. Thus, the trio walked along, allotting Hinata time to gather herself together. They still had a goal, and even though she had many great things to talk about, there wasn't any time. Besides, if she had continued, Rukia's eyes would have watered too. In fact, she could feel the heat in her eyelids as she refused to blink, drying up whatever excess water she may have had.

Calm and collected, a thought occurred to Hinata that would make their mini-mission so much easier. From the comments her new friends had shared, she knew one thing: they were either looking for a doll, or a body. Hinata lacked any dolls from her childhood, her father had thrown those out fearing it would make her weak, but she did know a certain medic nin who had access to dead bodies…Well, she knew _two _medical ninjas, but due to extenuating circumstances, one was currently off-duty.

"Sakura!" Hinata exclaimed, pounding a fist down into one hand. She stopped briskly, swiveling to face the other two. Her eyes flickered from one to the other. (Up and down, due to their height difference.) "I've got it! Sakura-san can help us get a body that, uh, Kon-san can use."

At the mention of Sakura, Ichigo's face fell. He hadn't managed to have many decent path-crossings with Sakura. Their little meetings only ended with heated argument, or complete ignorance and utter abandonment. He began to hate the fact that Sakura was seemingly becoming such an important person in his recovery home. Just the mention of Sakura was enough to erase the brooding questions in his mind lingering from Hinata's story. (The fact that Pein was after something she called 'Tailed Beasts', and he was also after Naruto who had something he heard as a 'beast' inside of him was definitely not a coincidence.)

Nonetheless, he was forced to comply. He needed his body to dig up any information from villagers, and he was afraid that if Kon had it for two long, he might do something stupid.

In search of Sakura, Hinata placed her fingers on her temples. Muttering the classic phrase, 'Byakugan' her vision changed as it always did. She saw the chakra of others, as odd as it sounded. Doing her best to ignore the strange energy both Rukia and Ichigo possessed, she instead looked for Sakura's chakra, something she knew too well to miss. With what she saw, she led the group in whichever direction.

Nothing went unseen when Rukia was around. She spied Hinata's visual changes. Her eyes emptied, and veins where Crow's Feet would usually be protruded out as if she was concentrating to a magnified degree. These shinobi sure were…weird, especially Hinata and her strange _eye-magic_. It wasn't a surprise to Rukia that only she noticed it, Ichigo was far too busy looking away and at other things. '_Baka, he needs to get that gunk out of his ears when I tell him to be more observant,_' she thought, rolling her own eyes.

This whole situation was still a little fishy, and it was hard to believe the hot-headed Menos named Jiryokou could have planned this far in the five minutes their battle lasted. It seemed highly improbable. Rather than planning, the most-likely action for Jiryokou would have been a hostage. But instead he _planned_? Rukia did her best to think of any possible flaws in his plan, whatever they were. She didn't like the fact that here their basic Reiatsu was half the strength of Chakra. Then again, just how did Jiryokou know that? Sure, he was a very old Menos, but not all knowledge came with age. That was the thought that bothered her more; the fact that Jiryokou knew of the Elemental Nations, a subject that was a sacred part of Soul Society's secrets.

Her thoughts were stirred with the presence of unknown energies. (Of course, everything was unknown in this world to Rukia.) She looked to Hinata and her Byakugan for guidance, but even the violet-eyed girl had a look of confusion. If Hinata was confused, Rukia got the distinct feeling something wasn't right.

Ichigo thought that too. The uneasiness in the duo's breathing as they stopped. He noticed both of them were looking towards the sky, an action Ichigo followed. The sky looked completely normal to him. That is, for the _first few seconds _he looked at it. Three figures suddenly darted through the sky, emerging from treetops behind the group and subtly landing in the foliage ahead. It was such a strange occurrence. Three figures, who weren't even dressed like the other shinobi he'd met, just darting through the trees ahead? Was that even _safe_?

"_Kumo nin?_"

Both shinigami turned to Hinata, the one who'd muttered those words. Only Ichigo wondered who she was talking about, and what the term 'Kumo' referred to. Before he knew it, the two rushed forwards, nearly leaving him behind if it hadn't been for Rukia's sudden and painful grip on his wrist.

"Just what the hell is going on?" He demanded, looking at Hinata's puzzled and slightly frightened face. She only looked over her shoulder, an unsure tenor to her breathing.

Ichigo knew one thing was for sure: whoever the people were, they weren't allies.

They burst into the trees, Hinata using her Byakugan to follow the Kumo shinobi in the treetops. Here and then Ichigo would be forced to duck under random branches, apparently forests in this place weren't grown for taller people.

"Those three were ninja from Kumogakure, another village." Hinata spoke, her voice slightly strained from their intense speed. "Thing is…I don't know why there here, and I haven't seen them before." She mumbled, not once slowing down. This was completely urgent, especially since they appeared to be in a three-man squad. That meant business.

But wait…what was that above them?

( Approximately Three Minutes Prior )

"SHUT UP!"

Using her fist, a mocha-skinned Kumo kunoichi made sure to land a hit on her playboy teammate Omoi, who had been currently annoying her with jokes about her under-developed nature. She smiled when she heard the painful crunch of his bones upon impact.

Omoi yelped, spitting his lollipop-like candy out to the dry ground. He clutched his side dramatically. "Owwww! Karui! You should really learn to be more graceful. A woman, even one as pitiful as you, should _never _be so disrespectful to a strong man like me!" He whined theatrically, making sure to close both eyes when Karui came in for another hit.

Another hand came out and stopped Karui, a pale hand; an _elegant _hand. Samui stood between the two, a tasteless expression to her face. "Stop it, now. We're not here to fool around." She told Karui, shooting a glance from over her shoulder to Omoi. Her face was completely serious, and the way her eyes gleamed with irritation, both her teammates loosened up. They had no chance. Samui was the boss.

"We're here for reconnaissance, and only that." She told them, putting her hands on her hips. She turned to look around them. They were still standing in Konoha, people filing past them. They had no reason to fear an attack; the Hokage knew they were here and why. She sighed, it almost seemed too easy. "Uchiha Sasuke is a criminal. A killer. The kidnapper of Bee-san, this mission is vital!" She glared at Omoi specifically. "So stop _messing around _and focus! Or do you want Bee-sama's death to be for nothing?"

Her words were painful, and both tan shinobi shook their hands. They wanted vengeance for their precious Killer Bee, taken by the cruel Akatsuki. Instead of responding, they gathered into a formation, and the trio sped off and up into the trees. The run was a little exhilarating, for they knew somewhere there was _someone _who had information on the Uchiha.

Samui didn't make it obvious when she felt something strange below them. She wasn't transparent like her partners. There were no strange faces or sarcastic comments made. She stayed blank, only with a slight curl to her lips. The people following them were _powerful_. She could feel it, something completely out-of-this-world for normal shinobi. The busty female felt eager to fight these new people. Eager to test their power, she couldn't help but give a small laugh.

Her teammates looked to her, and she raised her dominant hand to stop them from saying anything. "Continue on like normal. I'll catch up later." She told them. They both nodded and sped up ahead of her, allowing her to drop down from the tree. The wind from the fall felt good against her legs, and she made an effort to land calmly, and without any extra force to the ground beneath her.

The group before her stopped, at least now they knew what had been in the sky.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the woman. She was tall, and her body was sensual. But those eyes of hers, those thin, blue cat-like eyes made him weary. He didn't like the idea of fighting her, yet he didn't condone it. He was offended by her. Did she _really _think she could take on all three of them? If so, she was thoroughly mistaken. His hand rose slowly to Zangetsu, the fingers lingering there. If she wanted a fight, that's what she would get. That was only, however, if she initiated it.

"Hold it. I'm not here to fight." She lied smoothly. Well, it wasn't an out-right lie, just a half truth. She held her hands in front of her, as if it would help to loosen up these people's tense muscles. She took the opportunity to look them over. In front was no doubt a Konoha Ninja, hailing from the Hyuuga clan. But behind the Hyuuga were two clothed figures that confused Samui. They were wearing something completely out of the ordinary, there were no words to describe it but: _traditional_. Ah, well, Samui put that aside. The swords that they were armored with told her they were definitely fighters.

She lowered her hands, the unreadable expression on her face unchanging. "Please, comrades. Tell me everything you know about Uchiha Sasuke."

The words hit hard to Hinata. Her eyes widened dramatically, and she felt her skin get goose bumps. It had been such a long time since she'd last spoke, or heard about Sasuke. Sasuke was a dear friend to her, only because he was a dear friend to Naruto. Perhaps a little meaninglessly, she blubbered, "Why do you want to know about Sasuke-kun?"

'_Sasuke-kun? This girl knows him,_' Samui thought to herself. Quickly, she responded, "I have orders from your Hokage to eliminate him."

Pish-posh. Rukia thought the way Samui spoke about another person was cruel. Nonetheless, it apparently hit a chord in Hinata. For she was quick to take a step forwards, her eyes burning like never before. "Tsunade-sama would never do that. You're lying." She barked, completely forgetting about Tsunade's current _predicament. _

Samui quirked an eyebrow inquiringly, and said. "Who said anything about Tsunade?"

Hinata's face fell, her Byakugan deactivated with the news. In response, Samui merely shrugged, walking to the left as if to circle the group. "Didn't you hear? The Hokage isn't this 'Tsunade' you speak of. When I went to talk to the Hokage, it was some old man with half-his face and body in wraps. Oh, what was his name again…" Samui stopped directly in front of the Hyuuga, leaning forward. "Danzo."

She gulped. Only briefly had Hinata heard of Danzo, but even those few minutes were enough to understand the magnitude of this person. Before she knew it, her Byakugan was reactivated and flaring with an unknown determination that had risen somewhere inside of her. "Gentle Fist."

Two words. All it took was two words to make the world slow down. Both Ichigo and Rukia bounded backwards to avoid a fatal strike that Hinata sent at them in effort to put a distance between them. She didn't want to hurt anybody. The fight was magnificent to watch, for the shinigami could have never guessed so much power resided inside of Hinata!

The Hyuuga was quick to act. After putting a good, safe distance between her and Ichigo and Rukia, she began on her assault at Samui. Her first strike, an uppercut to the jaw line was easily diverted. Samui slid backwards, quickly arming herself with her tantō.

"You're an Uchiha ally?" Samui asked menacingly. She evaded each of Hinata's Gentle Fist strikes. Though she had to admit, dodging them without being hit in even the slightest was difficult. Naturally, her ignorance towards this specific technique made her more careful than usual. When she didn't get a verbal response from Hinata, she knew it was time to take this more serious.

Hinata came forward, her hands glowing, prepared to hit the center of Samui's chest. She came close, but not close enough. Samui lightly spun to the side, limberly kicking upwards at Hinata's chin and sending the girl reeling backwards. Dirt puffed out as Hinata was thrown back, stopping short from running into Rukia directly. That kick hurt, and Hinata could feel blood trickle down her chin from when she'd bit her tongue.

Rukia helped Hinata up, grabbing under the shoulders and pulling up. This girl had courage; Rukia couldn't help but acknowledge that. Seeing movement in her eye, Rukia used one arm and held it in front of Ichigo's chest.

"Don't be stupid, Ichigo. We're outsiders, if we fight, there'll be penalties." She said. "I'll stay and help Hinata. You go and follow the other two; it's likely they'll lead you somewhere." She released Hinata, who ran forward to attack some more, and restart her Gentle Fist assault on Samui.

His lip twitched. He didn't like the idea of leaving Rukia and Hinata there to fight Samui. Something about Samui seemed off… Why was it the woman only fought with a tantō? Whatever the reason was, Ichigo didn't stay long enough to hear it. Rukia gave him a very serious glare that sent him forward and away.

Seeing the orange-haired man escaping, Samui tried to stop him by swinging an arm out, gradually loosening her grip on her tantō. She intended to shoot the weapon at him like a rocket. But was stopped when she felt a brutal fist hit against the inside of her elbow. She yelped, her body rocketing backwards. The tantō fell to the ground. She'd let one of them get away, and now she was angry.

"Don't bother trying to chase after him." Hinata told her, taking a step back with her fists rose in the air. By now she had a clean cut along her jaw line, but ignored that like she did her bleeding tongue. "He doesn't know anything about Sasuke-kun."

It seemed nearly impossible, how she could narrow her already thin eyes even more. Samui glared at Hinata, but something about her tone told her the girl was being completely honest. Thus, she didn't focus on the surprisingly tall orange-haired teen. She turned her attention back to Hinata. "Very well," she mused. With a low kick to Hinata's ankle, the battle had begun again.

( The same Pathway from Before )

Thus, brings us back to Naruto, Sakura, and Sai. Who, at current time, were being confronted by the very two Kumo ninja Samui had been with only minutes before. From the bushes was Ichigo, watching closely. Rukia was smart to advise him like she did. Following the shinobi did lead to something, or rather, _someone _important: Sakura was standing right before him. But time to approach her about Kon's body would come later, she was preoccupied with a katana outstretched and pointed towards her neck.

Naruto was quick to respond. He swatted the katana away from Sakura, pushing her back to attack the female, known as Karui. But she was stopped when Omoi ran the butt of his own katana into Naruto's arm. Of course, if they did anything, they should have immobilized Naruto's hands.

Watching what Naruto did was curiously entertaining. He made a single, only a single hand-seal and blurted, "Kagebunshin no Jutsu!" Unfortunately, half-way into his words, Omoi had the opportune moment. He rolled over the kneeling Karui's back, warning her not to cut or injure them. The edge of her blade look sharp, making it seem invincible as it shot towards Naruto.

All Ichigo could do was mutter his approval. The words Naruto had spoken earlier had led to something interesting. Very interesting. Next to him was a _second _Naruto, who grabbed Karui's blade with his _bare hands_. Ichigo was beginning to see why the blond squirt was so important. The shinigami doubted this was the limit to his power. There just _had _to be more.

Time turned into mush. Both Sakura and Sai jumped into the action. Ichigo smirked, looking at Sakura's bare fist. Their first encounter had proved just how strong that tiny hand of hers was, and he felt sorry for the poor soul that would encounter it. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case. Omoi was faster, and alert to her.

Ichigo felt a compulsive need emerge, and instantaneously he was following his instincts. He bound out of the bushes just in time to catch Sakura as she was violently kicked back by Omoi. They tumbled backwards, Ichigo failing to calculate the distance he needed to make matched with Omoi's brute force.

Meanwhile, Naruto (who had been prepared to save Sakura himself) was taken by surprise with the sudden appearance of Ichigo. '_What the- Why is the shinigami here?_' He thought to himself bitterly, completely distracted. It was at that very moment that Karui's free arm hit hard into the real Naruto's chest, sending him back and causing his clone to poof to oblivion.

The Kumo shinobi bounded backwards, surprising even Ichigo (who could walk on air) when they stood on the water of the lake nearby. He shook his momentary surprise off to look at Sakura, who rubbed her head.

"Geh…thanks…" She mumbled ungratefully. The roseate didn't like being saved, especially by someone she never seemed to agree with. Forgetting she was still in his arms, she asked, "Just what are you doing here?"

The change in her voice (from annoyed to questionable) sent vibrations throughout Ichigo's body, reminding him he still held her closely. The whole situation was awkward, and the light red on his face made that obvious. They both separated in haste, Sakura brushing dirt off her front, and Ichigo rubbing the back of his neck. A little too quickly, he mumbled, "I was just in the neighborhood…"

The two walked over to Sai and Naruto, who were looking at the foreign ninja curiously. Naruto had a vein popping out of his forehead, from both the irritation of Ichigo's heroic actions and the fact they'd practically been ambushed. "WHAT'RE YOU DOING?" He spat, his hands balled up behind him.

If the Kumo nin from afar hadn't been yelling with every word they said, hearing them would've been a real chore. "_You _were talking about _Sasuke_!" Omoi accused, before Karui jumped in, "Yeah! Tell us about him!"

It seemed to Ichigo that everything came back to Sasuke. Everything. It was like he was the scapegoat in this tragedy. Anything could be pinned to this dude, whoever he was. Ichigo didn't like it. Especially because every time the 'Sasuke subject' was brought up, a sort of darkness fell on both Naruto and Sakura's faces.

"What does it have to do with _you_?" Sakura refuted angrily.

Omoi felt increasingly irritated. He ever-so rudely pointed his finger at the four before him (not really caring that somewhere in their battle, their numbers had increased by one) and had a fit of rage. He brandished them eternally with what he said next: "Uchiha Sasuke attacked our village!"

The shock on their faces was overwhelming, and Karui was quick to jump in with, "And he took our master! We don't even know if our master is dead or alive!"

"No way! Sasuke would _never _do that! And why would he?" Sakura's denial was so obvious. Ichigo could see it clearly. Although he didn't know much of the topic, and it hardly concerned him, he had heard a lot of things about this 'Uchiha'. Not to mention that whenever the name was brought up, he felt Zangetsu talking in the back of his mind; talking about vengeance. Even a Zanpaktou wasn't oblivious; this Sasuke seemed to be a pretty bad guy.

Omoi rolled his eyes, infuriated. "How should I know what the Akatsuki wants?"

"What do you mean, the Akatsuki?" Naruto mumbled.

"Are you kidding?" Karui began. The water splashed and rippled as she slammed her foot forward in an overreaction. "Don't you know? Sasuke is a member of the Akatsuki!" She swung her arm to the side before she went on, "Our Raikage sent us here because you let that missing-nin roam free! We have permission to kill him!"

The words they heard were piercing. To think that it only took so long for Sasuke to fall so deeply! Naruto didn't want to believe it, and neither did Sakura. Trying to imagine Sasuke, the younger Sasuke, wearing an Akatsuki cloak and killing innocent people? They just couldn't see it. The imagine of Sasuke's occasional smile kept popping into their heads, engraining itself into their vision. As much as they tried, they couldn't match up the old Sasuke with the new. It was as if Sasuke didn't even exist anymore…and it hurt. It hurt like hell.

( Outside the Gates of Sunagakure )

The recently-appointed Kazekage stood outside the gates, his siblings at both his sides. His face may have shown no emotion, but he was as proud as ever. Before him was a crowd of his people. The people of Suna were waving madly at him, saying their goodbyes and wishing him well. His siblings, Kankuro and Temari were taking advantage of the moment to truly bask in their 'awesomeness' pretending that most, if not all, of the people were waving goodbye to them.

"Gaaaaah! So long!"

"Don't be gone too long!"

"Kankuro, Temari, take good care of him please!"

The last comment made both the older, yet equally as powerful siblings chuckle. Temari shrugged, fanning herself. It certainly got warm in the desert. "Don't worry, we will." She said, knowing they couldn't hear her.

Kankuro had a mild smile on, and it was obvious despite all of his bright face paint. "Though it's not like Gaara _needs _any bodyguards…" He said, putting his weight on one leg. He leisurely grasped the strap that held his puppet to his back, rolling his eyes at all the loud voices back in Suna. Gaara sure did have a lot of fangirls…

Gaara swiftly turned around, beginning his walk through the sand. The other two did the same and trailed on either side of them. The more distance they put between the village and themselves, the quieter things got. In fact, after five minutes (for ninja, they moved at an alarming rate) the voices of the village were completely gone, having ebbed out of their hearing range. All they heard was the swish of sand as the wind blew lightly. They were speeding through an expanse of nothing but sand, completely reasonable considering their location.

Yet, they stopped short. Or rather, Gaara had his sand reach out and stop the other two. He felt something vibrate in the sand. Right below his feet… Kankuro eventually felt it too, causing him to grind his teeth in deliberation. They could ignore it and continue on, risking the lives of those back in Suna; or they could stay and see what it was. To Gaara, he leaned more towards the latter. He _was _the Kazekage after all.

The vibrations were becoming more urgent, and something felt as if it was rising up towards the surface from below the sand. Curious, Gaara knelt to his knees and prodded at the ground with his index finger. The more he touched it, the more he was sure something was coming up. And quickly, too. In fact, if it hadn't been for his ultimate defense, he and his siblings would have been pushed back rather violently.

Inevitably, they were all still pushed back as the sand from his gourde came down on their torsos, forcing the three of them back. A large explosion of sand happened right where they had been standing. Grains after grains fell everywhere, being thrown into the air by an unknown source. All three siblings took their stances; Kankuro with his wrapped puppet in both hands, Temari with her fan, and Gaara with his arms crossed.

Slowly the great fog of sand cleared, allowing them to see colors, but not shapes. _Black…white…_and was that _red_? Everyone was confused as they came to see a figure, an actual person emerge. This person was coughing violently, no doubt choking on his sudden exposure to the sand. (Though they didn't know that.) From the violent hacking, he collapsed to his hands and knees.

This man was a pretty darn good height and muscular. He was wearing something black that oddly required an obi. Though that was hardly what caught their attention. It was his bright red hair, precisely the shade of Gaara's, that was pulled back tightly in a high pony-tail. His forehead, where a headband should have been, was covered with some white cloth. Underneath it they distinctly saw tattooing. And to make matters worse, the mysterious figure was _armed _with a _sword_.

The man coughed again, this time rolling over to his back. His sleeves were ripped up, signifying he'd been in a fight. "What the fu-" He mumbled, stopping himself when he saw the three not far from him. His brow furrowed as he came to a sitting position and muttered,

"Damnit! Just where am I?"

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>

I've been feeling so extremely bad about that strain until the chapter before this I had. I still can't believe it took longer than a week to get a chapter up, especially with all the thoughtful reviews I had been getting! Ah, anyways, because I felt so bad I began to work on this chapter earlier, refining it more than I usually do.

I feel that Kishimoto doesn't go into too much depth about Sai's thoughts, and I try to portray Sai based on his passed. I find it intense to write for a character I didn't originally invent. Bwa ha ha.

Anyways, PLEASE REVIEW. I'm not a stickler, so I'm not going to say something like: "_Give me _ reviews and I'll upload the next chapter._" NO. That would be like exploiting my work, and the last time I checked, my work was _not _a curvaceous female with a fake personality and a very open limit. My work is pure, and innocent. So please, review! Even something small would be a little nice. (It's just a little disappointing. This is on the favs and alerts list of **52 **people, and only _21_ reviews? You guys can do a heck-of-a-lot better than that.

I've also started a second fanfic, based off of Death Note. So if you like Death Note, I think you should try to read it. It's called 'Bored to Death', and the link can be found under my profile.

Again, if you can, and you're not tired of my annoying voice right about now, REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!

Anyways, until next time~

Adieux.


	7. Fighto!

**Bleach ©****Tite Kubo**

**Naruto ©****Masashi Kishimoto**

**The concept of Jiryokou ©****Dahlia Derbyshire**

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><p>The fighting may have stopped, but they knew it was far from over.<p>

The enormity of this whole situation could never end as simply as their fight did. Ichigo knew that for certain. It seemed, to him at least, that his world and this one weren't too different. Fighting was both a life and occupation in this world as well. From what he heard, shinobi could be hired, corrupted, and exploited. Ignoring the obvious differences, shinigami and shinobi were one in the same.

Of course the fact that Ichigo was a shinigami was only important to Ichigo at that moment. Naruto was focused on the two Kumo nin before them. On and on they went, glaring evilly. He wanted to get out of there. Even he could tell that something bad was about to go down. The long, brutal conversation between the two groups began with:

"Tell us everything you know about Sasuke."

Ichigo watched what passed carefully. For yet again, the topic of 'Sasuke' was brought up, saddening Sakura and making Ichigo all the more curious to who this person was. Obviously he wasn't too great of a person. Karui was demanding to know his fighting styles; any information that could be used to her advantage was wanted. Needed. Compliance was an issue at this point. Neither Sakura nor Naruto wanted to say a word.

The shinigami noticed a noticeable change in Sakura as it went on. Her lip quivered as she spoke. "You've gotta be kidding me! How can Sasuke be a member of the Akatsuki?" She asked sadly.

Karui was becoming fed up. The fact that nobody wanted to talk caused her to clench her jaw, crack her neck, and ball up her fists. She wanted to beat the answers out of them. She especially wanted to hurt the pinkette, who would unfortunately face Karui's rage. "God, you're _so _annoying!" She burst, which Ichigo unknowingly nodded to. "Just who's Sasuke to you, anyways? HUH?"

Her words hurt the more Sakura thought about them. Sasuke was _everything _to her. Since she had been a mere child he was the object of her adoration. All she every wanted was to be beside him. Sakura had thought being on Team 7 would be enough for her and Sasuke alike. She was completely wrong. The more she thought on this topic, the more she remembered the day three years ago where Sasuke abandoned the village; she could do nothing to stop him. A sinking feeling formed in the pit of her stomach, and Sakura fell to the ground in pitiful tears.

The orange-haired teen gulped. For a brief moment he believed it was his agreement with Karui's statement that had caused her to unhinge herself. He wanted to apologize, but the sad look on Naruto's face told him the truth; these tears had nothing to do with him. It was Sasuke. Ichigo began to slowly realize that Sasuke was the reason for all of these people's pain.

A small hatred manifested itself inside Ichigo at that moment as he looked to Sakura's fall form. Her sobs were gut wrenching. The pain she must have endured all of these years was unbeknownst to Ichigo. Yet he was determined to fix it. A woman crying was…_a woman crying_. He would never be so calm if Yuzu, or Karin had been in Sakura's place.

The Kumo nin were sure of Sasuke's guilt. When asking if they were sure, Naruto had hoped that they had the wrong guy. Turned out they weren't mistaken. The Uchiha crest was on the attacker, and Sasuke was the last Uchiha alive. There was no doubt that it was Sasuke who had abducted their master…

Master… That word held a lot of pain for Naruto. He may have looked more interested in Sakura's emotions as he knelt down beside her, but that was hardly the case. He knew what it was like to loose a master, a sensei. He could understand the pain they were feeling. _Only _he could feel it. Although Sakura's master was ill, Tsunade was not lost. Sai's master, most likely Danzo, was unfortunately alive and kicking. Naruto could never be sure about Ichigo, but the stranger lacked any void of sadness or lost in his eyes, and it felt safe to assume that Ichigo's master was still around as well. Thus, only Naruto could feel their pain. He had to do something about it…

As Karui blared on about Sakura's crying, Naruto was deep in his own thoughts. Anything the enemy nin might have said was lost to him, no matter how similar her experiences were to him. She may have lost her master, but that didn't give her an excuse to bring her anger out on poor Sakura.

"Wait a minute…" Sai's voice broke the silence that was born from Karui's anger. Ever since they had come across the two strangers, he had doubted their reasons. Something about them attacking others for information seemed rush, as if they were impatient. At first, he'd assumed it was their angst for their master. But now, he saw something different. Hastily and completely out of character, he continued, "Haven't you received all of the data your looking for from the village? If the Hokage did in fact approve this, shouldn't you have been debriefed?" He lazily gestured towards the teary-eyed Sakura and irritated Naruto. "You shouldn't be pressuring these two for any information."

Karui rolled her eyes so dramatically it almost looked as if they'd roll right out of her sockets. That didn't make her words any less loud. "Of _course _we will be!"

Omoi saw the flaw and the confusion on everyone's faces. He sighed, much like Shikamaru was known to. "Our team leader was briefed earlier, but before telling us anything she veered off path at some disturbance down the road." He did his best to remain calm, but he was like Karui in many respects. He was eager to get vengeance for Killer Bee. That was all he could wish for. Despite his humor and playful antics, he had more of a level-head than Karui did when it came to confrontations.

Meanwhile Naruto dozed off into his own thoughts. Sadness was triggered by Karui repeatedly stating they had no idea what it felt like to loose a master. She was completely wrong. If anything, it was worse for Naruto; he had lost a father-figure as well. Putting that dreary thought aside, Naruto focused his mind onto calming the two before them down. He was tired of fighting. The ninja world was already so cruel…

"Is your master a host?" He asked. That question had been the first one to come to his mind, the first one to make any sense of the situation. He knew he was right by the look of surprise on their faces. He stepped forward, away from the safety of his group. "You probably don't know this, but I'm a host, and this is my fight too. The Akatsuki is going after all of us, and I know for a fact that your master is still alive."

"What?"

"Really?"

The hope the two gained on their faces made the tension ease, if only by a little. Naruto held a little hope, too. The hope that this would all end out okay.

Ichigo was like an alien to everything that passed. Masters. Akatsuki. Hosts. He could only comprehend the bare minimum of things, and even then, that wasn't enough. There was much more than just what he could see, it was all deep beneath the surface of their skin. It all came down to memories, and the past.

Once again the subject of 'hosts' intrigued him. He wanted to know more about to, to understand. The heroic side to him believed he could do something to help. _Something_, _anything_. Ever since he'd walked into Konoha and saw the rubble, he'd wanted to help. His desire to lend a hand only burned brighter when Hinata began fighting, and it was likely she was still fighting as he stood there and did nothing. Just how could he contribute to these people? How could he help them in their time of needs without their complete trust? His wish to help slowly ebbed into ether, becoming less and less possible; if Naruto, apparently the village hero, refused to like or trust him…

Who would?

( Some old dirt road… )

The two never quit. For ninja, life always consisted of fighting. When they attended school, all they learned was fighting techniques. They competed in fighting tournaments, only to grow stronger to fight another day. Shinobi were masters in the art of any jutsu, whether it be gen, nin, or tai. Nearly every form of combat they could master. _Physical _combat, that is. Most shinobi were failures when it came to human emotion.

Aka, verbal conflict.

However, the circumstances for these two kunoichi were different. A good fight was a way to prove themselves, and their desire to win had been nursed by the verbal conflict they faced daily. Nobody ever expected the shy Hyuuga heiress to reach out of her comfort zone, whereas everyone expected the fearless blond to take any challenge. Their goals made their fight unbearable. Both wanted to win, but one had to lose.

Their fight looked like a dance from afar, Rukia noted. When one struck, the other would always respond. It was so elegant and graceful, yet deadly at the same time. An unpredictable dance was all Rukia could see. Not only that, but it was like a competition for dominance; a contest to see who could last the longest. The outcome to Rukia was obvious. She could see just how beat up they were…sooner or later she knew she'd have to step in, in spite of her warning before to Ichigo.

Hinata wasn't faring well. Her lips were bleeding badly, something that was caused by Samui's clean strikes upward. In more than one place Hinata had a nasty bruise or two, no doubt from her opponents rough and ruthless attacks. The fight had put a toll on Hinata, her left leg looked limp. Like it was broken.

Yet she never gave up.

That is, until Samui managed to push her to the ground.

The girl fell to her back, sputtering up blood as she did so. Both their breathing was ragged, and uneven. Hinata may have received a greater amount of battle scars, but Samui had used up a vast amount of her energy. She stood over Hinata's body, her tanto in hand. This girl, this little _punk _had managed to keep Samui on her toes. That wouldn't happen again. She raised the tanto menacingly, forgetful to who she was and her reasons for being there at that moment, and she sliced the weapon downward.

Rukia had anticipated it. Somewhere, Samui's exhaustion had brought out another side to her, a ruthless side. Knowing that her Reiatsu wouldn't be enough to fight Samui head-on, she ignorantly jumped in.

Sode no Shirayuki was a beautiful Zanpakutou spirit, appraised for her speed. Without that speed, Rukia never would have made it in time to block Samui's tanto from crushing into Hinata's chest. In this strange new world, Rukia found that her blade felt lighter and more free… Was it possible that Sode no Shirayuki was happier in such a new place? Rukia had no time to ask.

The metals clashed, sparks flying. Samui was sent reeling back, rather shakily landing on her feet. Unlike Hinata, she wasn't badly hurt at all, she was only exhausted. Tired to the point that standing up even looked like a chore.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" She shrieked. She _always _finished what she started.

Rukia shook her head, studying her stance. She was the only thing blocking Samui's path to Hinata. "I can't do that. I've let this drag on far enough." She was shocked to see the crazed gleam to Samui's eye, something that could only be brought on by adrenaline. '_Do ninja actually _like _killing another human soul? Sending another human to the afterlife, to Soul Society?_' She asked herself. It was a hard concept to understand, but it wasn't completely impossible to grasp. Aizen wasn't the only one…

Samui's lip twitched. "This isn't your business, whoever you are. This is a fight between shinobi. The loser _always dies_." She said. That's what she knew, that's what she had learned from the Raikage. If Killer Bee would have heard that, she would have put him to shame.

"Not here, not now," Rukia calmly interjected. "I can't let that happen, and you shouldn't kill so freely. That's a one-way ticket to becoming a Hollow."

She didn't know what a hollow was, or why Rukia would care so much, but Samui had convinced herself it was nothing. She merely stood there, her eyes focused on the strangely-clothed person before her. Her eyes never left Rukia's own. It was such a strange phenomenon. Rukia had abnormally dark eyes, and at that precise moment Samui caught a glimpse of her reflection. She was astounded at what she saw.

She saw a stranger. A stranger with blond hair and icy eyes was all she could see. She wanted to deny it, for this stranger looked ill, insane even. Her pupils were fully dilated, and her whole body was shaking. She was covered in dirt and blood, blood that wasn't even her own. She was a stranger in her own skin…

It scared her.

The uneasiness she felt in her stomach allowed her shaky hand to put the tanto back into her pouch. She took a few steps back, shell-shocked. It took only one stranger for Samui to see herself in a new light. One _stranger_ had caused an epiphany. She wanted to get away from this stranger who could do strange things; it was possible that self-revelation wasn't even the beginning of the things Rukia could induce on a person. Samui wasn't committed to stay and find out.

The Hyuuga heir, as well as her entire clan, would never forget the day she was saved by a complete stranger. From the ground she looked up at Rukia, who (ignoring her height) felt very big at the moment. It was gratifying to save a live.

"Thank you, Rukia-san." Hinata spoke softly. She cautiously wiped her face of any blood, her knees shaking as she hoisted herself upwards. Rukia's helpful arm was positioned under the girl's shoulders, helping her steady on her own two feat. All the meanwhile, Hinata went on, "I'll never be able to make it up to you." The fact that she had lost didn't seem to faze Hinata…

She hadn't been trying that hard anyways.

( By the Lake )

It was amazingly simple how things were resolved, at least to Sai. Although he didn't trust the Kumo nin in their part of the agreement, he trusted Naruto. Not only that, but he admired his friend for being the bigger person. Naruto had agreed to give the Kumo nin any information they needed about Sasuke. Whether it was because he pitied them, or he emphasized with them, nobody would ever know.

The fact that Naruto was doing something so brave and reckless aroused some very conflicting emotions in Sakura. Yes, she did admire him like Sai was, but she also saw it as betraying Sasuke. Didn't the two have a bond too powerful to break? Was Naruto really willing to give up something so easily? The roseate watched him go with the Kumo nin, not sure what to think about it. Though there wasn't anything she could _do_. Naruto was sure of his decision, she knew that much. But that didn't stop her from hating every minute of watching his retreating form.

Sai followed after, for reasons Sakura could only assume, which left her completely alone with Ichigo.

Oh, great, _Ichigo__**.**_

She put a great deal of effort into not looking at him, crossing her arms and taking a few steps to the side. Thoughts of his 'daring' recue plagued her mind. She was still shocked to see he was so willing to become a soft landing for another person. That was something she would have expected _Naruto _to do, not Ichigo, someone who had disliked her from the very first moment they met. Still, she felt ashamed of herself. Could he really think the strained 'thank you' she'd given him before was enough?

How was that even possible?

If the roles had been switched, Sakura would have demanded true and sincere gratitude. Never would she stand for the mumbled, weak response she gave him. Against her will, she turned to look at him.

It was nerve-racking to see he was looking _directly _at her. His blank expression gave nothing away, which only added on to the audacity of the situation. Sakura felt a cold sweat break out on her skin. She hated every minute that she spent being speculated by Ichigo's cold, harsh stare. Little did she know he wasn't _glaring _as much as he was just _trying to get answers_.

Nothing made sense to him in this world. All he had the pleasure of knowing were tiny, insignificant details about so-and-so or someplace far away. Anything of importance, anything he could actually _use _seemed to be left out. Not once had he heard someone mention time travel, or a way for him to get home. Small things like that were being left out all over the place. It irked him. Unfortunately enough, there was nothing he could do about it.

"Sakura," he began, bracing himself for any retaliation on her part, "what are the Akatsuki after, exactly?"

Her face fell; this was one thing she _did not _want to talk about with Ichigo. All along, she had been hoping that someone else, like Kakashi or Shizune, would take over the role and explain it all. Somewhere inside, however, she knew that only she could explain it to him. She was the one who first found him, and was the one who first had a _true _conversation with him -even if it _was_ in a tent. Naturally, she would be the one to spill it all, she'd just been avoiding it.

The kunoichi forced herself to look at him in the eye. She didn't see anything she had expected in his eyes. What she thought she would see was resentment, or irritation, but instead she found genuine curiosity and even a little vigor. It was nothing she could have expected. His skin wasn't creased from yelling, or brow-raising shock. Those features, features which Sakura had once seen as handsome, were soft and gentle. Was this the face she had been missing? Was this expression the true Ichigo?

And it was that expression that left her speechless.

Ichigo was patient with Sakura, based on what he knew thus far, it was likely this topic would be hard for her to talk about. Yet that didn't give her the excuse to stay so silent for so _long_. As much as Ichigo wanted to get mad at her for holding up his time (time that he could be using to go back home), he couldn't react in any mad way whatsoever. Her face just looked so _sad _and _lost_. Times were tough for her, and by yelling Ichigo would be making them even _tougher._ Therefore Ichigo kept his thoughts to himself. Which, oddly, wasn't too difficult.

"It's alright; you don't need to say anything. I understand that this –whatever this _is_- is hard for you. You don't need to say anything." '_Yet,_' he mentally added to his words. Sakura didn't know it yet, but if she didn't tell him now, she would be sucked into his reign of demands. Never again would he release this subject. For a calm reply from him, it was no or never.

The girl shook her head, holding both hands out in front of her defensively. "No, no, this is fine. I was just…_distracted_." She told him sincerely, pearls of sweat breaking out on her skin from the embarrassment. He'd caught her off-guard.

'_Distracted by what, my face?_' He asked himself, doubting her words.

Continuing, she tightly crossed her arms in a self-comforting way and turned to gaze at the waters. "See the water? See how it looks so serene?" She asked. He nodded. "It wouldn't have ever been this serene without the Sage of the Six Paths. The first ninja ever. He had a special ocular jutsu, the most powerful of them all, called the 'Rinnegan'. It helped him out greatly, without it, this world wouldn't be the same. Some say he's a legend, some say he's rea-"

"Sakura," Ichigo interrupted her with a stern face, "what does any of this have to do with the Akatsuki and what they want?"

She held up one of her index fingers disapprovingly. "Just wait, I'm getting there." Playfully, she stuck her tongue for a playful effect. She turned away, just in time to miss Ichigo's suddenly red face. Her eyes were once again glued to the surface of the lake. "Well, anyways, it's said that the Rinnegan helped him weaken a powerful monster called the Juubi. The Juubi was a monster made of pure chakra, and without the Rinnegan, was undefeatable. The Sage of the Six Paths used his power to separate the Juubi into nine counterparts, each with a different number of tails that marked how powerful they were. Or rather, how powerful they _are_."

"These beasts are what the Akatsuki are after?"

"Hai." A brief nod, and she was back on track again. "There's the Ichibi, Nibi, Sanbi, and so on until the Kyuubi. The more tails, the stronger the beast is. As part of a 'treaty' for all the great shinobi nations, numerous villages were all given a beast. The beasts were sealed inside ninja, called Jinchuriki."

Ichigo began to understand. In his mind, he put the pieces together, and his gut told him Naruto had something to do with this; Naruto had a tailed beast inside of him. Yet he didn't say anything, Sakura seemed determined to continue.

By the time she turned back to look at him, his face was a nice peach color again, the red gone and done with. She smiled lightly. "There are only two Jinchuriki, or hosts, left. The Kyuubi and the Hachibi… The Akatsuki have kidnapped and killed the others in order to extract the beast inside of them." She sighed, holding a blink as if the world would pause with her. When she opened them again, she asked, "Do you remember what Naruto said to the other two?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Naruto said a lot of things, that doesn't mean I was listening."

She portrayed a disappointed expression, but went on. "It was the part when he convinced them their master is still alive, talking about the Akatsuki and hosts. Remember what he said to them now?"

"_Is your master a host? You probably don't know this, but I'm a host, and this is my fight too."_

Yes, Ichigo remembered. It made sense. He gulped and nodded, a little unnerved to know that Naruto, someone he found to be a little silly, could hold something so powerful. Ichigo was so unnerved that he had to force his eyes away, instead zoning in on the ground by his feet. Sakura may have thought that it was because of this new knowledge that he was slightly unhinged, but that wasn't even half of it.

Ichigo could relate to Naruto. Both boys, no matter how different, were similar in an important way; they both had beasts inside of them. Naruto had a nine-tailed monster, and Ichigo had a ruthless Hollow. Even though Ichigo had dominated his hollow, that would never take away the fear he felt that, one day, it could still take over. He had to wonder…did Naruto have the same fear? Did Naruto fear the power inside of him, so powerful it could take over and hurt everything that he cared about? Ichigo didn't know, and as he spoke, this was all he thought about. His eyes avoided hers as he said, "So…which one is Naruto?"

"The worst one of all."

( Precisely Two Minutes Prior )

Hinata was indebted to Rukia, and she made that part clear. Like a lost puppy, Hinata followed Rukia. Of course, eventually this minor infatuation would end, but until then Hinata was committed as a loyal friend. She didn't care about what her father might think of her behavior, all she could really think about was Rukia.

And Rukia's _power_.

There must have been a vast amount of energy inside that tiny body… If Rukia could beat Samui just by _looking _at her, what else was she capable of? That was a question that constantly reimbursed itself in Hinata's mind. She couldn't stop wondering. Nobody could really _blame _the girl, Rukia's appearance was just _screaming _mystery; weird hakamas, missing steel-plated ninja bands, swords, and varying heights… If she and Ichigo _wanted_ to fit in, wouldn't they have changed their clothes? Thoughts like those were indisputable, but were not voiced. At least not by Hinata.

Thus, she allowed herself to lightly follow behind the brisk Rukia. In good time the trees began to thin out, and they could hear voices in the horizon. Even though it was for a nanosecond, Hinata perked in happiness when hearing Naruto's voice, only to sadden when she realized he was leaving. '_It's probably better this way,_' she thought, '_I wouldn't even know what to say to him_.'

The two emerged from the trees and to a cliff base, standing proudly next to a lake. Only yards away were two familiar forms, already looking over to see who the new company was. Ichigo was pleasantly surprised to see Rukia looking alive and well, but perturbed by Hinata's beaten up state…was the girl…_limping_? The first thing Sakura noted was Hinata, whom she rushed over to. Her curiosity for the stranger was obvious on her face, but she ignored that. Treating Hinata was much more important.

Sakura didn't know why, but it seemed Hinata seemed to be getting hurt more and more recently. First there was her near-death experience with Pein, and now she was bruised and battered, but by who and for what? _Those _were the things Sakura wondered. She liked Hinata's silent and good-natured company; there was no other place she could find anything like it.

The two kunoichi passed through a speedy conversation; which consisted of Sakura ordering Hinata to sit down on a rock, where Sakura would have an easier time healing the wounds. The fact that her hands glowed was enough to set the two strangers to this world a little off balanced. After all, it wasn't everyday somebody's hands _glowed_. Pink hair, glowing green hands, what else did Sakura have that they didn't know about?

During the treatment, Sakura made an effort to look approachable to the newcomer. An extremely short, black-haired girl stood next to Ichigo, wearing the same abnormal apparel. Her hair framed her face, but shot outwards around her shoulders in a spiky, "I-don't-care-about-appearances" way. One thing Sakura took note of was the sword sheathed to her hip. So she also did kenjutsu…?

Ichigo wasn't quick to notice the uneasiness Rukia and Sakura had for each other. He was slow on the uptake. The relief he felt to see Rukia unscathed (would fate have it any other way?) was enough to make him forget the more important thing. Rukia was like a third sister to him, and she was lethally important to her. When he finally saw the way Sakura shot weary glances towards the shinigami, he jumped into action.

"Etto…Rukia, this is Sakura." He made the respective hand gestures. "And Sakura, this is Rukia. She's a shinigami too."

Wait…_shinigami_? Hadn't Sakura heard him say that somewhere before?

_"I'm a Substitute Shinigami."_

She gaped, hiding her disbelief by turning her head away from the two. When he'd first told them, she thought he was _kidding_, and that Naruto was just playing along. The initial shock she had originally felt had faded into oblivion, leaving her with doubt. But now, _now _that there was a _second _person to acclaim to the existence of shinigami…that meant they were real, didn't it?

Death Gods roamed the world.

Did that mean he could easily take Sakura's soul? How powerful did that make him? She shot a glance towards the two, only to pull her eyes back to Hinata. (Whose reaction was even more pronounced; Hinata was yet to hear about Ichigo being a shinigami.) The thought of her own death caused the glowing light of her hands to sputter, and eventually die out. Though it's not like it mattered, Hinata's cracked ribs had been healed long ago.

Sakura felt her knees shake and trying to keep her shaky legs under control caused the rest of her body to vibrate violently. This was what Rukia saw. Ichigo only saw surprise, but Rukia was able to view _so _much more; Sakura's eminent shock went right down to the core. Knowing that the person she had brought into her village was a shinigami must have been tough, especially since it was that and that alone that brought a _second _shinigami into Konoha. This made the short girl chuckle. People always seemed to perceive shinigami in a bad, dastardly light. She could blame popular culture for that. Rukia sighed at that thought, paired with another fleeting idea…

'_Here comes another explanation_,' she thought.

( Far Away in the Wind Country )

The situation was quickly turning into an epidemic; Jiryokou was doing much more damage than anyone could expect.

Soul Society had been trailing the elusive Jiryokou for quite a long time. He was, basically, a Menos with a big mouth. Unfortunately, his talent for deception was unbeatable. For quite a long time, Soul Society had been worried Jiryokou would turn into a powerful hollow, greater than any they had seen before. (At this time, they were only acutely aware of the hollows Aizen had on his side.) Seeing that after years of living Jiryokou still stayed the same, they were relatively calm.

That era of peace, however, was over the day Jiryokou stepped foot on Karakura soil. Ichigo was the first shinigami to react, feeling the immense spiritual pressure and rushing towards the scene. His weekend was unknowingly lost the minute he tailed Jiryokou. Being surprisingly fast, he managed to keep a constant distance between them. Only when he realized that this new shinigami wouldn't give up did Jiryokou stop to make his presence known.

It was when Ichigo fell under Jiryokou's powers and was transported to another world that Rukia and Renji finally came into the scene. The two had just come from Soul Society, which had received word of Jiryokou's whereabouts. To see Ichigo vanish from her sight was devastating to Rukia, and the pain grew when Kon violently kicked Jiryokou in the head from an unseen angle. All the people she knew (granted, Kon wasn't necessarily a person) were going to risk their lives for this…

Ichigo was a fool for rushing in to Jiryokou, who was the equivalent of an S-rank criminal in the Elemental Nations. However, Rukia, Renji and Kon were even greater fools for letting their emotions get in the way. Rukia was pained to see both Ichigo and Kon beaten and transported to another, far away place. Without thinking, she rushed in, shouting incoherent words to Renji telling him to 'warn Soul Society of Jiryokou's powers'.

Renji never heard her statement. He too fell into his emotions when Rukia was defeated and sent away. Unlike the rest, Renji managed to last a very long while in the fight. His confrontation lasted a whole hour longer. It came to a close when Jiryokou finally got him into a hold similar to that he used on the others. Renji experienced a feather-light feeling before he was thrown into reality harshly, buried under something _heavy_.

Anger had swelled in Renji, far past his boiling point. And before he knew it, he was clawing his way up to the top of the sand. He burst forth with such vigor, expecting to see Jiryokou before him, laughing…

No, it wasn't Jiryokou.

He was laying in a vast expanse of sand, coughing up the grains when he saw the three. He was sad to know that Jiryokou's meaty form wasn't anywhere near him. Instead, he saw three smaller forms. The one on the far left wore a black outfit that oddly reminded Renji of footie-pajamas, but without the feet. His face was painted over squarely, which didn't help the menacing look the stranger had in his eyes. On the far right was a curvaceous female with spiky sand-like locks and a brighter apparel of purple. But the person in the middle was what interested Renji the most.

The first thing the shinigami noted was the red hair. Similar to his own, this person had a bright head of crimson hair. Oddly enough, the person lacked any eyebrows. Instead, he had an offensive Kanji on the right side of his forehead, referring to 'love of oneself'. It was so curious, to think someone would deliberately put something so narcissistic on their forehead. Though, something even more offsetting was the dark circle that encased both of his eyes. So now this stranger was an insomniac?

Of course, that wasn't the end of it. Renji was slightly offended and mildly amused when he noticed the defensive stances the three took. The first male with a encased figure, the second with what looked like a gourde that poured _floating _sand, and the female with one nasty-looking fan. What made it all the more interesting? They were only young _kids_. Not even full-on adults yet!

Did these three think they could stand a fight against Renji? The hot-headed male was bemused as he got himself up off the ground in a very drunken-like state. He placed his hands on his hips, allowing him to comfortably through his head back in laughter.

"That damned Jiryokou! These illusions are so _real_!" He called. He suddenly averted his attention to the three strangers, raising his eyebrows at their indescribable expressions. "What? Do you think that a scrawny package, ugly jar, or oversized fan is gonna scare me away? You shouldn't even _care_; you're that rat basterd's _illusion_!"

The man before the three looked so _carefree_. Didn't he realize who he stood before? Openly insulting the Kazekage and his siblings? All the shinobi had their own reactions; Kankuro scoffed, Gaara glared, and Temari _giggled_. Her giggle was cold and reclusive, causing both her brothers to look over at her curiously. Just _what _was that girl thinking?

"You're a funny one, aren't you?" She chimed, straightening her posture and loosening up. Her fan was repositioned at her side so she could lean on it comfortably. Renji would never forget the menacing expression she had. "You think we're _illusions_? You're in the middle of the Wind Country, not a silly _illusion_."

Kankuro grunted. "AH! Don't act so careless, this guy could have seriously hurt us! He can _still _seriously hurt us!" He rolled the figure before him beneath his figure, allowing a couple strands of wrapping to fall. There was a tuft of brown hair at the top.

Renji furrowed his brows, piercing the air with his wild hand gestures. "Whaddya mean? Of _course _this is an illusion. I don't even know what the hell this 'Wind Country' is." He barked at them. Though his words were slightly hypocritical; he actually _did _know what the Wind Country was, it was part of a course they taught in the Academy. It was a world separate from a world; it was as if the Elemental Nations were on a different frequency than Japan and the Earth. Only, Renji was yet to realize this. School had never been his forte, and things he deemed unimportant he tended to bury deep within his mind.

While this went on, and the three others fought, Gaara observed. Ever since he'd felt the sand, he unknowingly knew that Renji possessed special powers. _Powerful _special powers. He couldn't explain it, but what he felt was something alien. This man's power came from something that the shinobi world had never been introduced to before. Gaara could use this power…his nation could use this power…

Somewhere in the few minutes that passed, the minor speck of an argument between Kankuro, Temari, and Renji had passed, leaving the three of semi-good terms. Everyone had lost their tight stances, now relaxed. Though they didn't necessarily trust this stranger, they doubted he was against them in any way. He didn't seem smart enough to be much of a threat. What kind of assassin would jump out at their target in broad daylight? Not a very good one, apparently.

"The name's Renji." He told them toothily. He ignored Temari's surprising purr and continued, "Do you three know the way to Karakura Town?"

That didn't make sense at all to the three sand ninja. They hadn't heard of a 'Karakura Town' and had to assume it was where Renji was from. While his siblings shook his head, Gaara said, "No, we do not."

Gaara's monotone voice was eerie, but Renji accepted it nonetheless. "Damn…" He muttered.

The only kunoichi of the group smirked. "On our way to Iron Country, we could look a little for you." She told him, one hand resting gently on her hip. Something about Renji was like honey to a bee, and she was that bee. Something like this was obvious to her brothers, but Renji was ignorant to her slight attraction.

"Eh…Nah, it's fine. I'll just go…" His voice died out as he turned around, repeatedly, to get a good look at his surroundings. It was nothing but sand. Sand as far as the eye could see! Renji gulped, in this place, he couldn't tell which way was North and which was South. Just how far away had Jiryokou taken him?

Before Temari could say another word to break her strong feminism, Gaara began on his own little tangent. "You'll just go nowhere. As far as I'm concerned, you've no idea where you're going. But _we_ do." His interest in this subject was even unknown to Gaara himself. Even so, he went on, surprising his siblings. "Renji. Follow us to the Iron Country for the Kage Summit. Kankuro will explain everything on the way."

The shinigami didn't know where he was going, or what to do, and what he was being suggested seemed like a pretty darn good offer. He nodded insightfully, not sure what to think about this strange red-head before him who'd just pushed on the job of explaining to another person. It's not just Renji had much to do, anyways. Thus, for now he figured it would be okay to travel along. Who knows, maybe he'd run into someone he knew…

All he did know was whatever happened next was going to be troublesome.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

Sorry you guys. In the last chapter I sort of whined about the reviews. I'm the type of person who expects herself to do better than others, and overreacts when she doesn't realize that she's pushing herself too hard. Thank you, Sendicard, for helping me realize this.

Another thanks to Sendicard for being a wonderful advisor. For a while now I haven't liked the way I presented the story in chapter one. I felt Naruto's personality was too much like when he was a kid who knew nothing about life. I also had a few plot potholes. I had written that he didn't know where the book was, and had lost it, when it was really in his jacket the whole time. I edited the chapter to fix that and his personality, as well as to add on more content. If you didn't really like the original first chapter, I suggest you go back to read it and (if you have any disagreements whatsoever) send me a message or something. I'm on ALL the time, so trust me when I say I'll get it.

Once again, thank you Sendicard, and all the wonderful reviewers! All the positive feedback I've received has made writing this story so much fun.

And there are some exciting developments for the future. (Remember the wolf attack in Chapter Two?)

You may have noticed that I've been emphasizing Hinata's confession from the manga and anime. That's because I sorely dislike the way Kishimoto does something so big, and then never touches back on it again. Like, seriously. What does Hinata think now? How about Naruto? All we know is that she confessed to 'loving him', almost died, sent him off in an angry Kyuubi-fueled rage, only for him to come back and never reiterate it again? Eh.

On another note, if you decide to review, please tell me how far you'd like to see this story go. Do you want me to stretch it along with the real plotline as it goes, or do you want me to end it somewhere? Please let me know, I'm still unsure how far I'm willing to go with this story as of yet. Though trust me, it's not over for until the fat lady sings, and in Japan, there aren't any fat ladies.

For now, Adieux~


	8. Too Much Hate And Anxiety

**Bleach ©Tite Kubo**

**Naruto ©Masashi Kishimoto**

**The concept of Jiryokou ©Dahlia Derbyshire**

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><p>( Konohagakure: By the Lake )<p>

If Rukia thought Naruto leaving with the Kumo Nin was the worse thing that could have happened she was sorely mistaken. That much was evident by the new discovery she had just made about Ichigo and her new acquaintance, Rukia.

They were shinigami. Death Gods. Soul Reapers.

And they _killed_ things.

Now, Sakura should have been used to this. She was a _ninja_, for Pete's sake. Killing was a part of the shinobi life, but that didn't necessarily excuse it. Thus, she was still shocked, scared even. She could do nothing more than gape at the shinigami before her, wondering who they had hurt…who they _killed_…

It was a thought that perturbed her greatly. Trying to imagine the carefree, easy-going Ichigo she had met just a day ago _kill _something, much less _hurt _it was hard. He always seemed so _righteous. _In that way, and many more, Sakura was reminded that Ichigo was a lot more similar to Naruto than she'd like. Dealing with _one _righteous, emotionally-led fool was enough. Now, she'd have to deal with _two_.

Yet…something about that didn't seem so bad.

Still, that didn't stop her from being frightened. She gulped, clenching her jaw. The poor girl couldn't stop fiddling with her hands and her fingers, twirling them around each other in a musical way. Rukia noted this, and prepared herself to ease the tension with some kind words. The unsuspecting shinigami, however, was cut-off by a surprisingly calm Ichigo.

"Sakura…" The soothing tone to his voice caused Sakura to finally make the much-needed eye-contact. Though to her, she felt more like curiously gazing into his eyes. "This isn't so strange. Where we're from, it's normal to be a little surprised. In fact, before, _I _was shocked when it was Naruto who only gave a reaction."

Sakura smiled lightly, chuckling. "Yeah…he said it was 'cool'."

The light that shown in her eyes was luminous. It was as if Naruto was a deeply-cared for brother, the light was that of compassion. In response, Ichigo felt a smile of his own tugging at the corners of his lips. Though he repelled it, doing his best to keep a straight face. Despite his efforts, Rukia could clearly see through it, though she did nothing.

"So what if shinigami are real? That doesn't mean I'm not human." He told her, rolling his eyes and shrugging. Without saying much he took a few steps away from the group and towards the direction the Kumo Nin had gone. He was slowly ebbing his foot in the direction, causing Rukia to furrow her brows. She nearly voiced her curiosity when Ichigo started again.

"I'm going to follow Naruto and Sai." He told them both. Rukia merely nodded, but Sakura had a slightly worried face, most likely because the situation reminded her about Sasuke. Ichigo made a mental note to ask about Sasuke later. "There's something wrong, and I don't feel comfortable standing on the side-lines when I could be helping. I bet'cha Sai felt the same."

Rukia nodded, and before he could zoom away, interjected, "Just remember, Ichigo, don't-"

" 'Do anything rash or stupid.' I get it, Rukia. We're outsiders here, but if they start a fight, that doesn't mean I can't defend myself." He told them. There was a certain gleam to his eyes that sent a chill up both girls' backs.

Rukia had worries of her own. It was her belief that Reiatsu was weaker than Chakra, therefore Ichigo would stand no chance against a ninja. Even she, the strong Kuchiki, feared that the shinobi would realize this and strike. Which is why if they kept a low-profile, the shinobi would have no reason to attack. But if Ichigo caused trouble…

She tried not to think of that.

Hinata, someone who had been completely left out during the little conversation, had gathered her own senses. She'd already accepted that shinigami exist, many years ago. Similar, yet not as extreme to Orihime, Hinata had a slight imagination her self. It wasn't too shocking to learn that something so fabled was real, and to learn there was real-life proof standing before her. If anything, she felt elated, and not just because her wounds (after the help of Sakura's medical jutsu) had stopped hurting and weren't going to get any worse than they already were.

"Well…" Sakura gulped, blinking. She had a difficult time looking away from where Ichigo went. She felt vulnerable, now that she worried for both Naruto _and _Ichigo with the Kumo Nin. She sighed, turning back to Hinata. "You feeling alright?" She asked. Hinata nodded. "We should get you back to the hospital."

The Hyuuga heir's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she hastily took a step forward to Sakura. "Iie! I'm fine. I'll just rest a little more tonight." She told Sakura, her voice rushed, "I need to stay upright! Konoha needs all the help it can _get_."

The roseate girl smiled, nodding in understanding. "If you say so, but if you get seriously hurt I _will _personally take you to the hospital myself. Deal?" Hinata's brisk nod was enough to tell Sakura she accepted it. Hastily, she glanced to Rukia. "What do you say we do now? It looks like you're sticking with us for a while."

Rukia had failed to notice when she'd been brought into the conversation. She had been too busy observing the small conversation the two kunoichi had shared. It was strange how sisterly their relationship was. Was it like that for the entire female community in town…? It was far different from what she, personally, was used to.

"Eh, what?"

The medical ninja had a brief grin on her features, but it disappeared when her thoughts returned to their situation. What would they do now…? It wasn't like they could follow the others. Neither Ichigo nor Naruto would appreciate that, and frankly, Sakura didn't feel like getting chewed out.

"Etto…" Sakura mumbled, scratching her chin. "I think we should go to the Hokage and report this. However, now that the Hokage is Danzo…I don't know. It's not like Shizune has any jurisdiction over anything now that Tsunade's, _injured_." They had to tell _someone _that shinigami were in town, and eventually (providing Danzo sees them) they would be found out.

It shocked everyone when Hinata brilliantly suggested, "Oh! I know! Why don't we tell Kakashi-sensei?" She told them, holding a hand in the air.

"Kakashi-sensei already knows…"

Hinata shook her head. "He only knows that _Ichigo _is here. Does he know about Rukia-san and Kon-san?" She asked. Sakura's face lit up with that knowledge. It made perfect sense. And now they had a goal to follow.

Rukia shook her head. "No, we have to find Kon a body first. I think it might be best if we let Ichigo have his body back. For communication with the people here, who aren't ninja or have high spiritual pressures." Although the two didn't know completely what she was talking about, it made sense.

Nothing seemed to be going right. With everything someone suggested, it would be countered with something else. This time, it was Sakura who held the other side of the argument. "We can't do that, what if Ichigo needs to fight? It's not like we'll have time for him to…uh…_switch _bodies." Sakura had to be proud, with what little knowledge she knew about Ichigo, she was making connections pretty darn fast. "He'd be defenseless."

The shinigami sighed, grinding her teeth together. Sakura was right, anything could happen, the scuffle with Samui had proved that.

Once again, Hinata had a brilliant idea. "Hey…maybe Kon-san could stay in Ichigo's body, but learn some ninjutsu?" The others were shocked; they couldn't see the possibility of it, despite their doubt, Hinata continued, "Just think about it. It'll make him even stronger. While his real body learns ninjutsu and retains the knowledge through muscle memory, Ichigo can be off, not defenseless, as a shinigami. I know that somewhere around here, there has to be a teacher willing to help."

Sakura beamed. "That's brilliant, Hinata! It's so similar to shadow clones, why didn't I think of it before?" She gushed, suddenly striding forward.

"Eh…how is that brilliant?" Rukia was thoroughly confused. "I don't think you guys understand what Ichigo is, exactly."

"You're right, we don't." Sakura replied, stopping yet still eager to continue on. "But what does he have to loose? _Nothing_. If it doesn't work, then Kon will just waste a bunch of time. But if it _does _work-"

'_Ichigo won't be so defenseless anymore!_' Rukia thought to herself, smiling. Maybe this would work. Without another word, she followed the roseate back down the path they came, Hinata trailing behind her. Along the way both Sakura and Hinata bubbled about their culture, and the ways of the ninja. Rukia felt the knowledge to be incredibly useful.

With this information…Rukia could become a _legend_.

( Land of Wind: 0:45 Minutes from Sunagakure )

Renji was skeptical of the three before him. The leader, called 'Gaara' wasn't very talkative, and was even a little bossy. It bugged Renji that he had to share a hair color with someone so…_bland_. He'd rather the annoying blond chick have red hair, at least she _had _personality. Gaara was just an empty shell. For once, Renji actually hoped to see Ichigo. He was sure that Ichigo could cleanse him of his boredom.

The task of questioning and explaining was put on Kankuro, who Renji admired partially. Kankuro had some pretty cool face paint, and today the lines were strict, sharp shapes that reminded Renji of his tattoos. To make up for Gaara's dullness, Kankuro had a chill personality. Yet another train Renji admired.

"So where ya' from?" Kankuro asked, looking over his shoulder at Renji, who followed behind. The puppeteer had his hands in his pockets, and was strolling at a leisurely pace. His siblings were slightly quicker, but it didn't particularly matter; Gaara didn't plan on rushing there, so if they got left behind, they could just speed up for an hour or so. (Or in Renji's case, use shunpo.)

Renji chuckled. "Dude, don't even go there. You don't want to _know _where I'm from." He told them, rolling his eyes.

"Sure we do." Temari called, half-turned to face Renji. The shinigami had to notice that this chick, no matter how loud and obnoxious she could be, had a pretty fine body. For a moment he compared her to Matsumoto, but it wasn't much of a competition. Rangiku still wan, hands down to Renji.

Renji raised his hands in the air defensively. "Don't say I never warned you." He told them, shrugging nonchalantly. "I'm from Seireitei. Ever heard of it?" Silence. Renji took that as a 'no'. "Well, it's where all of us cool people hang out when we're not slicing things open."

Temari smiled turning back to have a silent conversation with Gaara that Renji didn't care for. Kankuro simply sniggered before he brought up a question that he knew _everyone _was wondering.

"So are you from the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist?"

Renji seemed slightly appalled. "The whoda-whatta-what?" His nonexistent eyebrows were raised high to his hairline. Just like Ichigo was, he was thoroughly confused.

"I'll take that as a 'no'." Kankuro replied coolly. He turned his head forward. As they continued their walk, the majority of their conversations were answers to questions Renji had, or Temari's occasionally innuendo. After half-an-hour Renji was beginning to grasp the basics of what they were saying. The bare minimum, so to say; he could comprehend the idea of the different countries and the hidden villages within them. All of it sounded vaguely familiar to Renji, as if he'd heard it at the Academy…

He quickly dismissed that, there was no way anything they were talking about related to Soul Society in anyway. He was content in just following the others to the Land of Iron for some fancy summit or something. However, as much as he wanted to ask, there was a more urgent question pressing at his mind…

"So what's with the giant cast on your back?"

Kankuro was flabbergasted. "It's not a cast!"

"You could have fooled me. It looks like something I'd wrap around Jidanbou." Renji scoffed, noting the vein that popped from Kankuro's forehead.

Kankuro didn't know who 'Jidanbou' was, but he took it as an insult. The shinobi crossed his arms, eyes narrowed, his irritation directed towards Renji. "This 'cast' could kill you anytime, anywhere."

"Psssh," Renji said childishly. Their faces were inching closer and closer together, both angered by the other. "You wish, Paint-Boy. I'll break that stupid cast like a twig." He poked Kankuro's chest, right in the center.

Things were on edge, prepared to boil over. Temari found it amusing, especially since their new hunk of meat (which she was proud to say she saw first) was about to fight with her brother. Temari was drawn to power, and she felt something much different from this good-looking newcomer that made her so very curious. Her eyes bulged out of her head as she watched, something that Gaara never thought he'd see in a million years.

'_People are so weird._'

Her fun ended when Gaara's began. A few words whispered her way, and she meekly nodded. '_There goes my fun_,' Temari thought dejectedly. She rushed to the aid, and surprised them both by reappearing between them, her sudden entrance pushing them to the side. She had her fan held out defensively, like when Renji had first popped out of the sand. Only this time there was a happy glow to her eyes.

"I hate to say this, but…" She paused, looking at both men from the corner of her eyes, "you're both being idiots." Without resistance, she swiped them both on the back of their heads, smiling rather _too _proudly. "Bakka."

Kankuro didn't say a word, he merely scowled and walked forwards to Gaara. Temari, on the other hand, was determined to have her fun with this guy before he left them. The reasons why Gaara was having him tag along were still unknown to her, but that was unimportant. She smiled at Renji warmly, her fan back in its place on her back.

"I don't need you getting in the way, girlie. I can fight my own battles." He told her, the sudden image of a scolding Rukia popping up in his mind. It only made him groan more. Whenever he was around girls, he always did _something _wrong.

"I'm sure you can." Temari replied, chuckling. He swore he saw her lick her lips… "But that's not the point. Do you know how you got here?"

"Yeah, but it's not too important."

His answers weren't too clear, and tended to drop the topic altogether. It was as if he didn't want to talk about it. "Sure it is, everything's important. But I suppose I don't need to know _now_." She told him, causing him to roll his eyes. "Do you know where we're going?" Her second question caused Renji to _actually _pause.

"Not a clue. Some Iron Factory."

"Iron _Country_."

"Yadda yadda, get to the point, girlie." He made a swirly gesture with his hands. His blatant expression was priceless, and Temari was positive she'd never forget it.

"From what Kankuro told you, we can assume you know about the Kage?" He nodded, and she went on, "The Raikage called on a Kage Summit, which is where all the great five Kage gather to discuss important matters. Gaara here is the Kazekage, and it's mandatory that he attends the Summit. Why are you coming with us? I don't know, but Gaara does. When he makes decisions, he really _makes _them."

"Again, get to the point."

Temari sighed, but her enthusiasm was not lost. "What I'm saying is that for some reason you're important to us, and you're not leaving this group for a long time. So stop being and idiot and get along with Kankuro!" She once again swiped his head, an action that was increasingly difficult with his abnormal height.

Under his breath, he muttered, "Just until I get home, _girlie_…"

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

( Land of Fire: Konohagakure )

Sai hated Danzo for a number of reasons, but watching what he had, Danzo had suddenly become a silly matter. As he watched Naruto decline their demands, and be brutally beat for it, he scowled. He actually _scowled_, a real facial _expression_. Though this was one moment where his social achievements were unimportant.

Something he suddenly hated more than Danzo was the thick of the bad news himself, Sasuke. What kind of person would inflict so much pain on so many people? All it took was _one _person to leave the village after being betrayed, and suddenly everything was out of whack! It was insane!

It was nonsense. Why was Sai the only one who saw this?

He clutched the bark of the tree violently, leaving finger indents on the wood. Any moment know he knew he would step in. Naruto's face was already misshapen. It looked as if his lip had been moved from his chin to the side of his face. To make matters worse there were patches of blue skin, bruising most likely. Sai had no doubt Sakura could fix this all later, but he still disliked seeing Naruto get so badly hurt. They were comrades.

He was so preoccupied with Naruto that the sudden presence of another didn't seem to faze him. Only when that presence was standing right next to him did Sai avert his eyes to take a look. As he had expected, it was Ichigo. It was understandable that Ichigo would come. Ichigo was eerily similar to Naruto in several ways.

"What are they _doing _to him?" Ichigo barked in a whisper, leaning against a nearby tree. "I thought he was going to tell them about that Sasuke kid, why are they beating him up? _Why isn't he fighting back_?"

"He isn't fighting back because he's knows the difference between right and wrong." Sai said, looking to Ichigo in his peripheral vision. "Yes. Naruto is the one who defeated Pein, but at what cost? Naruto's sensei was a good man, who passed his impossible ideals onto Naruto. The world is full of anger and resentment. The ninja world has too much violence, and the only thing to keep us shinobi going is hate.

"Naruto thinks he's helping to stop that vicious cycle by doing nothing. He wants this world to be rid of hate, and he's letting that girl take her anger out on him. He's literally being an outlet." Sai, well, _sighed_.

Aside from the shocking fact that that was the most Ichigo had ever heard Sai say, be was baffled by Naruto. Becoming so fragile like that… Ichigo shook his head, feeling the same urge Sai had felt, and still was feeling, only moments ago; he wanted to step in. He wanted to stop it.

Sai saw this, and help out a hand in front of Ichigo. "Don't. Interfering is not what Naruto would want." Sai told him.

Ichigo violently pushed Sai's hand away. "I don't give a shit! He needs help, and if he doesn't get any, she'll _kill _him! Don't deny it, I know you can see it!" Ichigo didn't waste any time, he rushed forward.

Sensing Reiatsu was difficult for Chakra-loving shinobi. They hadn't noticed Ichigo, and although Omoi had slightly sensed Sai, he'd originally thought it was nothing. Now, however, seeing the same burly-looking kid from earlier standing before them, that humongous sword on his back… They knew he was there, he was good at hiding, and that he was there for business.

Oh yeah, he had some business to take care of all right…

( Land of ? : Random Location )

Suigetsu was, quite frankly, astonished by what he was hearing. Even though it was hard to listen when all the information came from a person (or thing) that looked like a giant beetle, he could still comprehend the enormity of it. He looked at Zetsu, his eyes wide. To think that everything Zetsu said was _true_.

"So, wait, this Naruto defeated Pain all alone?"

From inside that beetle-like shell of his, Zetsu spoke, "Correct. He's gotten really strong, probably stronger than Sasuke now." His words were meant more of as a taunt, but it was hard to tell behind his literal hard shell.

Sasuke snickered, shaking his head and closing his eyes. That old fool Naruto. Their stupid little bond was broken so long ago that Sasuke was beginning to forget what this Naruto looked like. If anything, that was a good thing. He didn't need so many distractions. With that thought in mind, he huffed humorously. "Heh. I don't care about that. The real problem are the Kage."

The topic was turned from Konoha's hero to Danzo, and eventually the Summit. Together they made their plans. Gradually, Sasuke got a malicious gleam in his eyes… Killing Danzo would be one great success, and then he could go for Konoha altogether. Sasuke eagerly awaited the day he'd destroy that village, the village that destroyed his life. He waited like he was a child waiting for their allowance.

He really _couldn't _wait.

Free Hour: Kon's Lost Tales

( The Quaint Village of Konoha )

Sometimes, Kon hated shinigami. They always seemed to forget about him, him and all the other poor artificial souls that were out there. They acted as if what Kon did was easy work. Newsflash! To Kon, it was _anything _but easy. It was grueling. He was always put into some ugly tiger-doll, and when he was lucky enough to be in Ichigo's body, he almost _always _ended up fighting Hollows. Could you believe it?

He currently laid on the ground in Ichigo's tent, waiting, hoping that they hadn't forgotten about him. As he lay there, his thoughts were plagued with Orihime and her sweet bosom. Oh, and then there was _Hinata_. What an exotic flower the girl was! He wished Orihime was there, that way the chances of her rubbing against Hinata were raised. The thought of their flesh…

Kon shivered with delight. "I wish Hinata~chan would come _baaaaack_!" He spoke allowed, rolling over to lay on his stomach. He peeked his eyes out of the tent flap, looking around cautiously. He had no idea what to do now expect watch the villagers for any rare findings like Hinata or Orihime. Heh, maybe he might just find an Orihime doppelganger! That thought was nice…

He pursed his lips, contemplating on whether or not to leave the tent. Ichigo had only left minutes ago in search of a dead body for Kon to use, and Kon doubted they'd be back anytime soon. Knowing Ichigo, they'd probably get distracted. Kon wished that they hadn't taken Hinata with them, at least then he'd have something to _look _at.

It was then he spotted abnormal auburn hair that piqued his interest. It was an extremely curvy woman, and Kon had the pleasure of looking at her from the back. To make it all the more wonderful, she looked _exactly _like Orihime.

"Wait…" He mumbled, sitting up, "Could it be? Have my wishes come _true_! Is that Inoue?" Kon bounded up from the ground, stepping out the tent and to the streets. Dramatically he reached forward at the retreating form. "Ahh! Matte! Matte! My Goddess, please stop!"

The curious eyes of others didn't bother Kon as he stumbled out of the tent. Ichigo may have had a muscular body, but it was still lanky and uncoordinated. Which made Kon's chase for the Orihime-look-alike even more difficult. But it was urgent. He just _had _to see her.

He pushed passed the crowds of people, not bothering to apologize. He pushed people all over the place in effort to catch up to her and her swaying hips. Quite a few people fell over each other like the domino effect. They all took one look at that orange head of hair and automatically knew they'd remember it. Kon was making a pretty decent amount of enemies.

But did he care? Not in the least. When it came to his lovely goddess, Orihime, nothing mattered. This girl looked so much like her it was crazy. She took a right into a small shop, and Kon followed suit. He didn't bother to look at what they were selling, his eyes focused on the door that suddenly closed in the back. Without asking for permission to enter the building formally, he followed closely.

This whole situation was exciting. It was an exhilarating chase.

However, he stepped into the building, and he saw nothing. The auburn hair and shapely body were nowhere to be seen. Kon pouted, slouching over. "Nani? _Noooo_!" He cried, dejectedly turning back on the door.

"What the-"

Walking in the street, there she was again. It was the same girl from before, passing by the shop right then and there. Only this time, she had a bag in her hands. Though Kon paid no attention to the bag, it was too close to her bosom for him to realize it was there. He abandoned the shop quickly, once against entering the flow of the Konoha streets. He noted he was in a recently rebuilt part of town, where building weren't burnt, broken, or completely turned to dust. It was definitely a nice change of scenery.

His eyes never left the figure this time. He was determined to keep her in sight, so much so that wherever he was going was nothing to him. He didn't know how far away from the tent he was, but he figured it wasn't too big of a deal. He'd repair the damage later. For now, who cared what Ichigo or Rukia would say? Kon certainly didn't.

The doppelganger led him out of the rebuilt-part of town and to a less-formal place. A place that made Kon's skin tingle with excitement. It was a hot-spring! (Much like the one where Naruto first met Jiraiya; in fact, it might even be the same one.) His mouth watered as the goddess walked into the place, and Kon ever-so-subtle scooted towards the flap for the doorway.

He was so happy he was practically giggling. He could see _everything. _His cheeks were red, his heart was racing, and his eyes were bulging. These were the most beautiful women he'd ever seen! It was hard to find humans that were these shapes back in Karakura Town. It was then, that the excitement almost became too overbearing, and Kon did something he shouldn't of.

Dreamily, he yelled, "MY GODDESS! I finally _found _you!"

After that point, Kon couldn't exactly remember what happened. He distinctly remembered feeling something sharp thrown at his face, and the loud screaming that followed afterwards. He'd been so worried about being caught (and getting into even more trouble than he already was) that he rushed away, as fast as he could. Apparently, girls here also got really _angry_,

Those hot-spring girls must have chased him for _miles_. It was shocking how fast they could run. There was a classic anime sweatdrop on Kon's worried face the whole way back. He still had not a clue where he was going. At this point, Kon was winging it. His face was already bleeding from the sharp object that had been thrown at him.

In some way shape or form, Kon managed to free himself from the angry maidens. He escaped their evil clutches with a series of snake-like turns throughout the village, and many fallen villagers being pushed down to block their path. Yes, it was demeaning to resort to such means to get away, but what else could Kon do? It wasn't exactly like he could call a helicopter and be flown to a safe area. He was on his own here.

Kon, panting and bleeding found himself back at the tent, collapsing to the ground from exasperation. His chest rise and fell heavily, the moisture on his skin a mixture of sweat and blood. Everything about him fit the scenario of a pervert who'd just been the target of flying objects and angry females, everything but _one _thing; he still had a stupid grin on his face.

He heard steps, and felt some Reiatsu, but he didn't turn to look until the tent flap was thrown open to reveal an angry Rukia, a sympathetic Hinata, and a shocked pinkette-stranger.

"What the _hell_ happened?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note::<strong>

Yes, you guessed it! This is a IchigoxSakura fanfic! I'm not a very big fan of IchiRuk or Ichihime. In fact, I think the only bleach girl good enough for him is Tatsuki. xD (If you know a great fanfic with Ichigo and Tatsuki, please send me a message!) However, Sakura is one of my all-time favorite characters (and you may be wondering, but I also prefer her with Sasuke, not Naruto) so I felt that the best pair, in my mind, was her and Ichigo. So…there… My bias explanation to the pairings in this fanfic. There's also a pairing with Renji, and no, it's not Rukia. But I think you all can guess from the content of chapter 7 and 8. Read in between the lines.

WARNING! There won't be much romance. Sorry, this is more adventure. . I'm not a very great romance writer. Action and violence? I can do that.

A quick look into Sasuke in this chap. I just took a little tidbit from the manga, as I always do. I thought I haven't been portraying Sasuke that much, and he IS one of the major characters, so… huh…

This chapter is a few hundred words shorter than usual, and sorry for the horrible editing. When I edit, I skim. I especially in a hurry because I have to get some sleep tonight. Big finals coming up.

Anyways, I hope you like it. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!

But for now, ~ adieu.


	9. What about Rukia?

**Bleach ©Tite Kubo**

**Naruto ©Masashi Kishimoto**

**The concept of Jiryokou ©Dahlia Derbyshire**

Ichigo couldn't watch anymore of what was happening. He rushed right in, without giving the situation a second thought, and reacted in his own natural way. Sai watched as what he had intended to do was copied and finished through by Ichigo. The strange orange-haired teen was a bit more violent with what he did, yes, nevertheless it did halt the situation.

Rather than stopping what could have been Karui's killing blow, Ichigo swatted Karui like a bug to the side with a brisk kick to her side. Neither she nor Omoi could have ever predicted his presence, and both were equally shocked when his foot made contact with her side, sending the fuming Karui barreling into a nearby tree. It was a sight to see, Karui getting her own medicine. Even then, Naruto couldn't stand for it.

"Ichigo, you bastard!" Naruto whined, sliding against the small building and to the ground. He clutched his ribcage. "I didn't ask for you to interfere." Naruto was yet to become accustomed to Ichigo's unusual 'Chakra' and he was equally as surprised as the others. Still, such a small emotion was pushed aside when he realized Ichigo's purpose.

"Heh," the shinigami chuckled, on the receiving-end of Karui's venomous glare, "you'll thank me later, Naruto." Sai seemed to agree with Ichigo's interruption, for he slowly crept out of the shadows, standing right beside Ichigo. He gave a hazardless glance over to Naruto, slumped against the building.

Sai didn't take his eyes away for a while, examining Naruto's beaten face closely. He couldn't help but sigh. "You're stupid, Naruto." He stated plainly, surprising everyone. "You don't need to get beat up for Sasuke's sake."

Ichigo again stepped in, waving a hand in the air. "From what I hear, it sounds like this Sasuke guy does nothing but hurt you!"

Sai nodded in agreement.

While they spoke, Karui fumed. She pulled herself up off the ground, swatting away Omoi's hand when he offered to help. Ichigo hit her hard enough that her whole right side hurt as she stumbled forward, anger emitting in heavy waves with her Chakra. "Fine, if you're gonna interfere," she started, suddenly rushing forward, "then I'll just hit the both of you!"

Omoi saw it, and pushing aside his minor irritation for her, he did the best thing he could've for his loud teammate; he stopped her. With his fast reflexs he was able to reach out in time, clutching onto her forearm. She was pulled back, shooting an angry and confused look his way. He merely shook his head. "Give it a rest, Karui. Continuing this won't get us anywhere." He scolded.

His action caused the two Kumo nin to get into a tiny fight, which consisted of Karui glowering and yanking her arm away from Omoi. She barked at him, and he replied back in a non-threatening way. He couldn't help but think, '_Jeez, Karui's such a hot-head._'

Meanwhile, Sai came to Naruto's aid in a knelt position beside him. The worst was over with, allowing the tension to ease –at least on their part. Ichigo turned around to finally get a good look at Naruto. He was beaten far worse than the shinigami could have imagined. To think that this 'Karui' would go this far! It was inhumane… Ichigo briefly glanced in her direction, noting that their minor squabble now seemed to be over. She'd stepped far back, clutching her side.

"Sorry about that…" Ichigo merely murmured, only making Karui's mixture of hate and embarrassment denser. She'd never been so badly hurt after _one strike _in her entire shinobi career. It was impressive…and frightening. A part of her admired Ichigo, thus when he apologized she quickly evaded eye contact. Suddenly the soil was the most interesting thing in the world.

Any conversing that could've happened didn't, for every person in that area suddenly felt someone approaching, a person which only Karui and Omoi recognized.

Said person landed softly from the trees in front of her two teammates. She was tall, shapely, with blond hair and blue eyes. Ichigo didn't know who she was, but even so he could tell something about her was off. His suspicions were confirmed when Karui piped in.

"Samui-taicho? Are you all right?" She asked worriedly, for once showing an ounce of sympathy for the busty blond beauty.

The woman didn't want to respond. She'd just lost a battle, and still wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing that she'd survived. That short black-haired woman had spared her…for what purpose? Everything looked as if it had been going smoothly, at least until she was stopped from 'finishing the job'. For what felt like the millionth time that day, Samui shook her head at herself. That was a bad thought. If she continued her less-than-honorably ways, she'd permanently become the person she saw through Rukia's eyes; the disheveled fighter who didn't know when to stop…a monster.

When Omoi cleared his throat she immediately turned her attention back to the five people before her. Quickly, she rebounded from her thoughts with a demanding question. "Omoi, Karui, did you find anything?" When all she could hear was utter silence, she narrowed her eyes, placing her hands on her hips and spat, "You haven't been causing trouble, have you?"

It was then she spotted the crumpled heap behind the pale boy and his strangely-dressed neighbor. It was a teenager, no older than her teammates, bleeding and bruised throughout his face. The old Samui would have set this aside and ignored it, but she wasn't that same old person. The fight with Hinata had opened up a more sympathetic part of her soul. Instantly, she opened her mouth to say something, but was cleanly cut off.

"Killer Bee is still alive!"

"We just need to find out where the Akatsuki hideout is and rescue him!"

Both her comrade's hopeful voices made her upper-lip twitch. How juvenile… "What are you talking about?" She told them coldly, enlightening Ichigo, who had remained very angry at Karui. "How can we possibly defeat people who were able to defeat Bee-sama, hhm? We can't search their hideouts one by one!" She shook her head disapprovingly at the two, and commented, "You're letting your feelings get in the way. If you want to help Bee-sama, then follow protocol. We'll get this new info to the Raikage right away."

At that, the injured Naruto lifted an arm at the group, causing Sai to knit his brow with worry. He muttered inaudible words repeatedly, not heard by the others. It took a great amount of his left over strength to finally say, "I…no…take me…with you…" He leaned forward as if he was going to crawl to the other three. Both Sai and Ichigo reached out a hand to hold him back, worried he didn't have enough strength and would fall over, only making his injuries worse. Again, he murmured, "I n-need to…speak…with the…R-Raikage…"

His hope was crushed when Samui only shook her head, mentioning something about the lack of full guards and danger to the Raikage. She insinuated, using quotes from the villagers, that Naruto would be too much of a risk.

Ichigo was appalled, his hands clenched. Did Naruto really _look _like a risk to her? He was badly injured, to the point that he could hardly speak! Even though it was _her _people that had done this to him, she didn't want to _help _him out a little by bringing him along! It was madness, and Ichigo was determined to say something about it until he was stopped. Sai saw the burning look in Ichigo's eyes, and he quickly reached out a hand like Omoi had to Karui earlier. The shinigami instantly understood.

Quite quickly the three Kumo nin, without saying anything more bounded into the trees. An overwhelming feeling of disappointment overtook Naruto's mind. They were one of his only chances…

Now what?

xXx

( Konoha Tent )

Ichigo accompanied the others back into the main part of the village, where he carried Naruto (slung over his shoulder) to a designated tent. Earlier Naruto had mentioned being taken to Kakashi and a 'Yamamoto'. Again there was yet another name that Ichigo didn't recognize, making him slightly homesick. Being the new person who knew nothing could really be a big pain.

In Karakura Town Ichigo had known everything, mainly because he'd been a part of the drama. But here, in this 'Konohagakure' he knew nothing. Which was probably why as they entered the tent, they told him to wait outside and guard; from what he was told, Naruto didn't want to have Sakura check up on him. It was reasonable. Knowing Sakura, she'd probably go and ask too many questions.

After waiting no less than five minutes Ichigo set Zangetsu on the ground beside him and sat down crossed-legged. He looked leisurely as he watched people pass by, mostly holding long pieces of wood or tools. The effort to rebuild the village was huge; Ichigo could see it very clearly. Even in its state the people were eerily happy, chatting amongst themselves in an excited tone. Once or twice he overheard conversations about Naruto, or as they called him, "the village hero". Ichigo sighed. He hadn't grown to like Naruto that much, but a part of him thought that Naruto was a good, admirable sort-of guy.

Soon the tent opened, and Ichigo glanced up to see Kakashi's head poking out. The white-haired male looked down and gave a false smile. "Could you come in, please?" He asked in a sing-song voice. Ichigo raised a brow. Nonetheless, he did as told, making sure to holster Zangetsu to his back.

He entered cautiously, noting how both Naruto and Sai's expressions seemed to be resolute. Before he could ask what they'd spoken about, both teens stood up and excused themselves.

It was then Ichigo saw Naruto's face…was it _better? _He couldn't believe it, and rubbed his eyes just to make sure. Even then nothing changed; Naruto's face still looked healthier than it had before. The big swell on his check was completely gone, having disappeared completely. His lip may have been torn, but the small cut was nowhere as big as the gash he'd had only minutes ago. The only thing that gave off he was still injured was the slight discoloration and the bandage wrapped around his head.

"What the hell happened?" Ichigo blurted as soon as Naruto and Sai were gone, looking straight at Kakashi.

The one Ichigo assumed was 'Yamamoto' was the first to answer. "Weren't you there when that happened?" He asked, realizing that that wasn't what Ichigo had meant from his empty stare.

"Naruto just heals fast," Kakashi stated, holding both hands defensively, "partly because of him being a host. Did Sakura tell you about this?" Ichigo nodded. "Good, good. Less explaining on my part…" Surprisingly enough, Kakashi didn't look patient, and glanced many times to the tent exit. Something was bothering him, which he clearly voiced into Yamamoto's ear as a whisper. Ichigo, unfortunately, could hear nothing. Before he could even inquire what they were talking about, Kakashi rushed out of the tent and away, leaving the shinigami with a complete stranger.

"Sorry about that," Yamamoto said apologetically, "he's got some surveillance business to take care of. Anyways, beforehand they told me of your unique _predicament_."

Huh?

"And since Tsunade's currently unavailable, Kakashi is busy, and Danzo's left the village –though we wouldn't have told him anything anyways- he left the responsibility for you under me." He took a break to look Ichigo over. He looked young, but his size said otherwise. What kind of teenager was this tall? Not to mention that he had that heavy-looking sword strapped to his back in an eerie fashion. Yamamoto couldn't help but conclude that this kid was anything but normal.

The way he spoke made Ichigo feel like he was an object, and a liability. "Eh, what's this all about?" He asked impatiently. He needed to find Rukia…

Yamamoto rubbed the back of his head nervously, unsure how to continue this. Hesitantly he responded, "Truth be told, we don't really know what to do with you… You're not a ninja, and you're supposedly not from any shinobi village. The villagers can't see you, but the shinobi can. You were that sword on your back but you claim you don't belong to the shinobi villages… And now I've been informed you're not the only one like this in the village, there's one other."

"Two others," Ichigo corrected, "Rukia told me Kon was here too."

"Nonetheless, this all puts me in a very uncomfortable position." The shinobi interjected, pacing about the tent. "We can't use you like we would a normal ninja, giving you information and sending you on a mission is prohibited. Plus, we don't even know how strong you are, thus we can't decide if you're a danger to us…"

Just then Yamamoto froze with a glazed look to his eyes. Everything in him just _stopped_. Ichigo would have said something, but a part of him didn't want to interrupt whatever Yamamoto was seeing.

"They're on the move…" He murmured.

Ichigo took a step forward. "Who? Who's on the move?"

Yamamoto seemed to be in a hurry. Briskly he walked out and left the tent, followed by Ichigo. "The Kumo nin from before. I had a clone place a tracker on their leader." He explained.

As if they'd never left, Kakashi and Naruto appeared, both wearing cloak-like garb that looked meant for travel. Once again Naruto's face looked like it had healed some more, and he seemed in a good mood, different from earlier.

Ichigo looked at the two, catching a solemn look from Naruto. It had only taken one brief look at Ichigo to ruin Naruto's spirits. He still could remember back at the lake, where Ichigo had so bravely helped out Sakura, something Naruto himself had intended to do in a heroic manner. He huffed and looked away, something that went unnoticed by the other two. Oh, but Ichigo noticed. He would never be able to ignore it.

"They're on the move, Kakashi, Naruto." Yamamoto stated, receiving a nod from both people. "They're just leaving the village, if we leave now we can keep a good distance without being spotted or loosing them." Once again, they nodded.

Kakashi quickly looked to Ichigo with the same false smile from earlier, and the shinigami instantly got a bad feeling. "You will stay in the village. Don't try to follow us." He warned. Ichigo shrugged; unnerved that Kakashi had been able to detect Ichigo's intentions. "We'll be back soon enough. For now just…bother Sakura or something."

Naruto's eye twitched.

Their brief explanations did not ease Ichigo's conscience, and he had the terrible urge to chase after them as she sped off, Naruto sending a distasteful glance over his shoulder. In the end Ichigo stayed behind, his fists clenched. Since when was it their job to give him orders? As if this whole ordeal wasn't enough to handle… That thought in mind Ichigo cursed, kicking at the ground.

Those good-for-nothing shinobi were going somewhere important, Ichigo could just see it in their eyes. He wanted to go with them, help them, and prove to them he wasn't just some liability! Until he found a way out of Konoha and back home, he needed _something _to do. _Anything_. He found nothing, and he could think of nothing. The only person who could come up with a relatively decent plan was Rukia, and Ichigo had no idea where she was. For all he knew, she could be leaving the village right at that moment! (Although that was highly unlikely, that didn't stop Ichigo from thinking it.)

'_I guess I'll just have to look for her…_' He mumbled to himself, nodding. Gradually his temper cooled, and he finally allowed himself the privilege of movement. Two slightly shaky strides forward and suddenly he was bounding down the dirt streets, weaving in and out of the steady stream of people without so much as _brushing _them with his baggy attire. The first place that came to mind was the first place he looked; that dreaded tent he had been forced to spend hours in, waiting. Here he was, returning the last place he wanted to be. Ichigo grimaced at that thought.

However, no hope was lost, especially when he saw a head of pink hair in the crowd of people. He was _positive _that what he saw was Sakura, even more so that the black-haired people to her side were Rukia and Hinata. He was, at first, eager to approach them, but stopped short when he saw Rukia's _face_. It was contorted with pure anger, and her mouth was moving in such a wild way it suggested she was _yelling _at somebody in the tent. It took Ichigo a while, but soon he registered just _who _the person in the tent was.

One drastic face-palm forward, he approached the trio.

xXx

( Ichigo's Tent )

Sakura was so happy that she and the other two had come up with such a brilliant solution to the whole 'Kon drama'. It was so clever and cunning, for a moment Sakura's ego took a huge rise as she clapped herself on the back, following closely behind Hinata and Rukia.

Rukia…that shinigami was strange to Sakura. All while they had been discussing their theories, Rukia had been denying any possibility of it working. It was still amazing to Sakura how they managed to convince her. Rukia seemed to think that the fact Ichigo was in his "Reaper form" (as Rukia had called it) preventing his real body from being in any way useful. The two kunoichi with her, however, beg to differ. Both Sakura and Hinata were sure that if Kon learned Jutsu, Ichigo would too, similar to the way of the Shadow Clones… Ah, muscle memory was such a nice thing.

Unfortunately, the two girls didn't seem to understand just how troublesome Kon had to the potential to be until they arrived at the tent and saw his beaten, worried face. Kon was like one solid form of foolishness. Even as they peered through the tent, Rukia in a fit of rage, the only thing he did was grin stupidly, bringing memories of an all-too reckless blond to her mind.

Kon had nothing to say in his defense as Rukia shouted out the various mistakes he'd made. The shinigami seemed so extremely worked up, Sakura noted, that she didn't seem to feel the change in the air to the west of them. For a moment the roseate looked to her left, completely surprised at what she saw, and not because Ichigo was back…

But because Ichigo was the _only one _back.

Where was Naruto? Sai? What about the Kumo nin? Those questions didn't seem to have an obvious answer, and as much as Sakura wanted to ask them, she had to look away. Staring at Ichigo was hard to do, unlike Naruto he didn't break into a smile or a laugh, he stared right back. It was as if he had no insecurities, and that fact alone bothered Sakura deeply.

Seconds later his arrival was noted by Hinata, who'd seen the various changes in Sakura's facial expression. Like the domino effect, both Rukia and Kon seemed to notice something different and they too took an interest; Rukia backed up to get a better look, and Kon poked his head out through the tent. Instantaneously, Kon's face lit up. Ichigo was a beacon of light in sad times like these.

"Big brooooother~" Kon chimed, seemingly unaware of Rukia's piercing stare. He pranced out of the tent like a prisoner set free, his sudden movement sending the three females a step back. "How I've missed you!"

Everyone could see the confused look on Ichigo's face change. In his mind he pieced it all together. It was almost comical how he quirked a brow at Kon, sending the poor doppelganger into an emotional overdrive. The poor guy threw his hands up in the air dramatically, preparing everyone for a loud outburst, but instead only gave a small sigh.

"Such a disappointment…" Kon merely mumbled, his shoulders drooping. "Where's all the hate? You usually give it like free candy…"

Sakura chuckled, allowing herself to relax in the comedic atmosphere. Only for a brief moment, however, there was business that needed to be atoned to. She made that obvious when she pulled on her gloves, stepping towards the two twins. "Hold it," she stated between steps, "Kon needs to be healed first before we get into any details."

The surprisingly silent Ichigo looked thoroughly surprised, the others noted. It was as if he had been pulled out of a deep thought. Considering Sakura's decimal per strength ratio, it wasn't hard to believe that he'd reacted so quickly.

Well, _that _and a whole other reason unbeknownst of her.

xXx

( Whatever's left of Konoha Hospital )

"_WHAT_?"

Ichigo's voice rang out loud through the semi-rebuilt building as he stared at the two women incredulously. Hinata had left only moments ago, leaving only two people for Ichigo to bark at. It was sad for him, it meant less people to understand his doubts and worries about this. Their plan was cruel; it felt like they wanted to use his real body to perform an _experiment _on. He couldn't just sit by idly and let them do it!

Sakura was the first to speak, narrowing her eyes. "What's so horrible about it?"

He scoffed, raising his hand, preparing to count his fingers. "First of all, this isn't just some game. My body isn't just a chess piece, alright? If it doesn't work, we can't just go back to the beginning and start over. If it doesn't work, my configuration will be all messed up each and every time I try to become a shinigami! I thought Chakra and Reiatsu couldn't mix." He got a few nods from both Kon and Rukia. Down went one finger. "What's more is that this could be dangerous. I'm meant to be a shinigami, not…a _ninja_! Changing that would be so unnat-"

"Yeah, and I'd have to learn _jutsu_!" Kon cleanly cut in, taking a literal stand.

Dejectedly, Ichigo nodded in agreement, mumbling, "That's true."

Even with her visible worries about it, Rukia ended their little rant with her drawn-out sigh. "Ichigo, listen closely when I saw this…" She told him. "But you need this. Things here aren't the same as in Karakura Town, or Soul Society. Chakra is dense, and potent, much different then Reiatsu. If you're going to stand a chance against any high level shinobi, you're going to need to have a balanced mixture inside of you. Our ban kai is only as strong as the average ninja here, a Chuunin, or whatever Sakura said…" She rose her eyebrows waiting for their permission to continue. Oddly enough, she got it. Taken aback, she continued, "Uh…and, well…as I was saying, you don't stand a chance at this moment. Since we're going to be here a while, I think it's our responsibility to take advantage of the opportunities we have here…" She nodded to herself, smiling. There was a familiar way she reached behind her, grabbing at something, as she said, "And if you don't believe me…

"Take a look at this diagram I made."

There it was, that blasted notebook Ichigo hated dearly. Proudly Rukia held it out before the others, pointing here and there as she went on explaining. Ichigo wanted to smack it out of her hands, but her drawings were so horrendous that they were almost addicting…

"See, this Chappy represents Chakra, and this Chappy represents Reiatsu. When they try to fight, this one will win because he clearly has a much heavier suit of armor to protect himself." Ichigo took a good look at the Reiatsu-Chappy, his abdomen hurting from the prolonged stifle of outrageous laughter. He couldn't hold it back…the more she pointed to that monstrosity, wearing what looked like a meat-suit, the more he wanted to throw his head back and…

"AHAHAHAHA!" He finally cried, giving into his desires. He threw his head back, inciting the same reaction from Sakura, who had felt she needed to be polite. Not anymore, it seemed. Both people were laughing so hard that tears welled up in their eyes.

Rukia's eye twitched.

"What is it? What's sooooo funny?" She spat, standing up. "This is a serious matter, what could you possible find so damn funny?"

Hearing her evident irritation, Ichigo forced himself into a quieter tone of chuckling. "I'm sorry, it's just…" He paused, not sure how to state it, "Did you get _worse _at drawing since I last saw you?'

The inside joke arouse different reactions from both patrons; Rukia grumbled and Ichigo simply laughed some more, clutching at his stomach. Sakura took the time to observe, learning more about Ichigo. It seemed to her that the two had been separated for a long period of time…interesting…

Once again Ichigo had to apologize. "Sorry, but it's so hard to take you seriously when your drawings look like _that_."

"Diagrams. They're _diagrams_." She corrected, huffing and crossing her arms. "However bad you say my diagrams are doesn't really matter. All you need to understand is the concepts, or the ideas behind the art."

Sakura chimed in. "Wait, so what you're saying is that this 'Chakra-Chappy' has more armor than the Reiatsu one?" She mumbled...As usual Sakura understood what this was getting at, and her face lit up. It was as if she was in school again. "So Chakra doesn't necessarily make us shinobi stronger, it just makes us more protected!"

Rukia nodded enthusiastically. "Precisely!"

"And that's why shinigami are considered weaker, because although they're not necessarily weaker, their body's natural armor is?"

"Right again."

"And _because _Chakra is both physical and spiritual energy, it's thicker and more dense, which makes the certain level of protection it comes with thicker and more dense." Once again Rukia nodded, but Sakura didn't stop there. "_And because _of this, if Ichigo were to ever get into a fight with a strong ninja he would surely loose." Quickly she pointed at Ichigo, surprising him. "Which is why you, mister, need to learn basic jutsu, that way you can have this 'armor' like the rest of us."

He grunted, rolling his eyes. It was as if they were picking his fate for him. However, what they were saying _did _make sense to him, he just didn't like it. Kon was the one who'd be officially learning this stuff, only to pass on the knowledge to Ichigo. What if Kon didn't learn it right? What if he messed up somehow? He shuddered at that thought…

"Wait," he stopped them in their obvious excitement. For a while now, Rukia seemed to be holding something back. He had noticed that ever time Sakura went into talking about the differences between Chakra and Reiatsu, Rukia would bit her lip and look away, only for a brief moment. Nonetheless, he'd say it, Rukia couldn't fool him.

"What about Rukia? How's she going to participate in this?"

**Author's Note::**

My inspiration for this story has been diminishing, but don't fear, I haven't given up. This just means the intervals between release dates will get longer. Also, I've noticed this story gets less and less views as it progresses. I promise you, we're getting to the spin-off plot soon. I need this story, however, to be in the first stages of the (spoiler) Shinobi War before I can start the original spin-off plot up on my own. If you have any suggestions, or comments about what type of stuff you want to see in this story, PLEASE review and tell me.

I'm going my best to intertwine my spin-off plot and the story's plot, which is coming up soon. Bwa ha…ha? ='D

Anyways, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW.

Also, the next chapter I will put as beta. Because I simply have no time to edit anymore. Sorry for the length!

*NOTE* Until I get my inspiration back, chapter lengths might be really tiny. Sorry.

~ Adieu.


	10. A Shocking Authorization

**Bleach ©Tite Kubo**

**Naruto ©Masashi Kishimoto**

**The concept of Jiryokou ©Dahlia Derbyshire**

xXx

( ? no Sato )

Wolf summons, or any wolves in general, were extremely hard to come by, and very rare to see. The wolf pack, merely following up on their summoner's recon mission, never expected to get into a brawl like this one.

They had minding their own business when they ran into the two figures that, instinctively, they knew their master would want Intel on. Thus, they stalked the two. The first thing that had caught their animalistic eyes was the abnormal hair colors. Orange and pink…what kind of people had such bright, attention-getting hair. In their minds the animals snickered, secretly laughing at the stupidity of shinobi. These wolves, like so many others, doubted that those hair colors were real.

Of course, it had not only been the hair color that reeled them in, hook, line, and sinker. There was more to it than just that. The male of the two was dressed like no shinobi they had ever seen before. The intelligent mammals were perplexed, to say the least, and for many moments they observed closely. They thought, up until that point, they could get away with anything.

When the humans finally noticed their presence, all wolves knew they couldn't continue to gather Intel, pretending that everything was all right. With the intention of acting very friendly, the creatures emerged from the vast foliage. Only their sudden appearance was taken very poorly, and before they knew it one of the strongest in the pack was ardently taken out by the female.

Beaten and frayed, the pack retreated to the best of their abilities. Their travels took a day or two, but eventually they came to a small secluded cabin. It was rickety, and moss crawled up and over every wall visible. Nobody would ever suspect this place being the base of one evil shinobi and his affiliates. It looked far too innocent in the middle of this large forest, far away from any main shinobi villages. To tell that there was a labyrinth of passages and rooms underground was impossible with the naked eye.

The wolves whimpered as they crawled inside, escaping into the labyrinth and awaiting their master. They knew he would sense their presence and come. There was so much to tell them, that wait seemed like it lasted forever! Even though the little 'fight' had caused their health and general well-being to deteriorate, they had gained a lot more data through that then they could have observation. Every wolf had come to the same conclusion: the orange haired shinobi was definitely _not _a shinobi. He had to be something else entirely.

So soon they saw a figure exit one of the rooms and stride towards them. In the darkness of the halls his face could not be seen, but judging by the way his bright lab coat stood out in the darkness they knew exactly who he was.

"Kyomu…" The leader breathed a big brown wolf with a pair of piercing dark eyes. They watched hesitantly as the man approached. The first thing they noted was the dried blood on his hand, which he was eagerly trying to scratch off or wipe on his lab coat when the time allotted for it. There was no doubt in their mind that he had just finished with an experiment.

The darkness, although very concealing, allowed them to get a good glimpse at the mischievous smile he had on his face as he boasted in a sing-song voice, "Positively great news, my friends! I'm so erratic, I can hardly sit still!" They looked at him blankly, and he understood very quickly. Dejectedly, he continued, "Ah, never mind that, the news can wait till we regroup with Kabuto later."

It seemed Kyomu failed to notice the battered condition of the wolves. Though they didn't mind, he'd find out soon enough with all the news they had for him.

"We have an urgent announcement ourselves, Kyomu." The leader spoke, limping slightly as he pawed a step forward. "We've run into some crucial information that we think you might be interested."

Instantly, the scientist shook his head. "Oh no! Last time you brought back such information, my experiment went haywire. You remember what happened, don't you?" They nodded, slighted by his words. "We can't have that again. Any info you have give to Kabuto directly, not me. When he approves, then you can come to me! It probably has nothing to capture my interest, anyways!" He spun on his heels to walk away.

The alpha sighed and trailed after the doctor. In his raspy, deep voice he replied. "But that's the thing. It _does _have something to 'capture your interest'."

Kyomu let his intrigue get the better of him. He stopped.

"Ah, that's what I thought." The wolf responded, grinning his sharp fangs. "We ran into something so peculiar…so unexpected. At first we thought they were just two lowly shinobi, but that was far from the truth, we soon came to realize."

"What was the truth?" He eagerly interjected with a quizzical brow.

"There was a male, who looked nothing like a shinobi. He dressed in something so foreign, and his identity as a shinobi was shattered when he claimed to know nothing of the elemental nations to his traveling partner." The wolf informed, his grin only widening when he saw Kyomu's expression of desire to know more. "If he was not a shinobi, then what was he…?"

Kyomu, his interest piqued to a new high, threw his hands up and paced the halls. "Dear god! This is amazing! Never since my Orochimaru days have I encountered something like this! This is so new! I must drop _everything _immediately and start research as soon as I can. Quickly, my friend, tell your wolfy friends to follow me to my office. I will need a full description of the stranger's looks and the full conversation of the two strangers before I let you go back to your realm. Hurry now!"

The man strutted away, muttering on and on about the abnormality of his new obsession, the fact that Kabuto will be angry at being left out of the new information and research. The wolf summons, however, did not share the same enthusiasm as Kyomu. They knew that if they were ever to come across those two people again…

…they would surely get their vengeance.

xXx

( Konohagakure no Sato )

At one of the worst times in his life, Ichigo got one of the itchiest feelings in his entire life. In spite of the seriousness of the conversation, he could not, and refused to hold it back. Forward the shinigami knelt, his finger resting below his nostrils. They often said smelling your own scent helped counter a sneeze. Unfortunately enough, it wasn't working. The more he tried to inhale his own scent, the more his nose wanted to cry out in pain. Those around him noticed, Rukia being the first to interact.

"AH-!"

"Ichigo, what's wron-"

"CHOO!"

He had not expected that, no, not at all. It was completely uncalled for, and it put everyone on edge. He was so abnormally loud when he sneezed, causing the poor teen to feel slightly embarrassed for his predicament.

It was then that Sakura took a moment to glance in the direction of Rukia, who had intended to help the obviously pained Ichigo out, but had gotten much more than she bargained for. The ill-fated shinigami's face shined with wet, disgusting mucus. Her words took Ichigo's attention away from the ground, where he'd intended to aim it, and to her face. Biting her lip, the roseate tried to hold back her laughter. She didn't want to be the first one to laugh at Rukia's expense.

Kon had not the trouble of laughing. In fact, as soon as he saw her unhappy expression, coated with a fine layer of Ichigo's mucus and spit, the doppelganger doubled over in deep, booming laughter. He clutched his stomach in pain, rolling about the dirt as he said, "Ooooh! Onee-san! HA HA HA! You look so … oomph!"

Not able to take it, Rukia stopped any laughter by violently crushing Kon's face with her foot.

"Hey, watch it!" Ichigo countered, immediately standing up from the tree stump he had been sitting on. He could only imagine how sore he will feel when it comes time to get back into his body…

The female shot him a deadly glare, her eyes burning. She took the liberty to wipe her face with her sleeve, all the while keeping her foot on Kon's head and her attention on Ichigo. "You. Are. So. DISGUSTING!"

Sakura watched Rukia immediately attack Ichigo, flinging him around like a ragdoll. As her rants and his pleading continued, the roseate couldn't help but feel Rukia was using this golden opportunity to avoid what they had been talking about. Only moments ago there had been a very serious and slightly destitute air about the three of them. Rukia, Ichigo, and even Kon seemed to sense the severity of the events. Even now, Sakura wondered about the question that plagued her mind.

"_What about Rukia?"_

That was such a disturbing question for many different reasons. They had been so focused on Ichigo and how to get him through the differences, that until that moment they had failed to offer even a miniscule thought towards Rukia. What_ would _Rukia do? It was like she said; here in this world she was weaker than she should be. The difference between Chakra and Reiatsu was so strong that Rukia especially was feeling the effects.

The kunoichi glanced towards Kon, who was now getting up from the ground while rubbing his red cheek angrily. Kon was, perhaps, the only reason why this plan was working. Rukia did not have a body they could use, at least that's what Sakura supposed. If Rukia _did _have a body to work with, wouldn't she have mentioned it earlier to save them all the trouble? Wouldn't she have said something, anything, to suggest that Ichigo wasn't the only one this could work for?

Eventually the two shinigami quieted down and took their seats again, Sakura still lost to her thoughts. The two females exchanged glances that made Rukia feel uneasy. Sakura knew something…that observant girl had figured something out that Rukia had been meaning to hide!

"Rukia…" Sakura addressed, "Seriously, what about you?"

Her lip twitched, Sakura was too smart for her own good. The worried looks she got from both Sakura and Ichigo compelled the shinigami to speak further about her situation. Defensively, she raised her hands, saying, "I know, I know. It's not like I can follow you guys around, I'm weaker than you at this stage. I'd be putting myself in danger if I was to follow you on missions, and so would Ichigo if it weren't for his _special condition_…" She shot a glance at his way.

Ichigo understood what he meant, nodding. Sakura merely looked on, dumbfounded. Did Rukia mean Kon's body? Whatever it was, the girl did not have a chance to ask questions.

"I'm sort of stuck here for now, I guess." She loosened her grip, her white-knuckled fists regaining their color. "I suppose I can stick around and help Kon with his training. That's about all I'm strong enough to do. I don't have any powers that could possibly allow me to win in a fight against a trained shinobi. The best level I could surely outmatch would be a genin, or a thoughtless chuunin… If I was to go out there and fight, like I suspect Ichigo will have to do, I'd…" She broke away from the others, gulping.

Of course, they understood. Ichigo especially, giving an apologetic look. "You'd die…"

Rukia nodded. "Hey, who knows? Maybe I might be able to learn a thing or two without setting my body's natural balance off."

_That's an optimistic way to look at it, _Sakura thought. Things did not look bright for Rukia, but for whatever reason, they could not give up any hope. In order to steer the thoughts back in the right direction, Sakura was quick to speak. "Good thinking, Rukia. I'm sure Ebisu might know what to do."

"Ebisu?" The others repeated.

Standing up, the roseate sighed. "I don't expect you to know him. He's a special ninja trainer here in the village. I think I know where he is right now, so we should be able to ask him. I'm sure he'd do it anyways, he owes it to Naruto to help out a little." She smirked at that, the history with Ebisu and Naruto was classic. After all those years of disapproving of Naruto and how he influenced Konohamaru, it was reasonable to think that he should do the "hero of the village" a favor in order to make up for all the years of mean spirit.

Without wasting a second, Sakura led them all off towards where she believed Ebisu currently was. Even in the village's current state, the girl firmly believed that he had not halted any of Konohamaru's training. Therefore it was likely the two were at one of Konoha's empty clearings meant as training grounds.

It was a lucky guess, but in time Sakura located them. She could easily hear their voices in the distance. Konohamaru and his friends, Udon and Moegi, were currently complaining about how hungry they were, and how they did not want to wait to eat their bentos. Even from such a distance, Sakura could clearly hear Ebisu, with all his might, try to calm them down.

Soon their figures appeared over the hill, and Sakura was delighted to see that the three students had obeyed, continuing the string of hand signs they were being ordered to perfect. That, however, was all thrown out the window when they noticed Sakura and the others. The three strangers behind Sakura didn't seem to through Konohamaru's cheerful personality off at all.

"Sakura!" Moegi cried, followed by Udon and Konohamaru all rushing towards the others. Ebisu tried to protest, but found it was futile. It was quite alright to let the kids have _some _fun once in a while.

Instantly, Konohamaru chattered, "Where's Naruto-niichan? We still need to finish that interview for the Konoha Hero Newspaper!" With that in mind, Moegi seemed to nod furiously.

The kunoichi sighed. "He left the village a while ago. Besides, didn't you see him before he left?"

"Yeah, I did, but…"

Sakura sighed, shaking her head. It was likely that instead of requesting that "interview" like he so craved, Konohamaru had enlightened Naruto in some contest with their silly sexy jutsu. Rather than waiting to see what he had to say, she quickly changed the subject. "Sorry Konohamaru, but I'm actually here to see Ebisu." She quickly strode through the genin, waving for Kon, Rukia, and Ichigo to follow. (Which, of course, they did willingly and eager to get away from the kids' prying eyes.)

Ebisu had no idea what he was getting to. Upon first glance, he was first confounded by the two different Ichigos, which made it all the more obvious he would need an explanation. Of course, Sakura was hesitant to give him one. Did they really want the whole village knowing of shinigami? Was that really something they wanted to make obvious? No…no that was not…but it seemed the only way for Ebisu to understand properly. Thus, there was no time to waste. The three genin were sent away for the time-being while all explanations were given.

First Sakura introduced her companions, and Ebisu noted that the two look-alikes both had different names. It was then that they broke right into business, and it was revealed that they were shinigami. Like Sakura, he couldn't believe it. Ebisu thought it to be a cruel joke and he scoffed at the three, calling them 'hooligans' for trying to get 'such an idea into his head'. Unfortunately enough, the more they tried to convince him, the more he believed it.

His reaction was similar to Sakura's in many ways. Other than being in a state of disbelief, he soon transitioned into immediate fear and confusion. That was where things strayed off path. Ebisu claimed to be in some nightmare, took a few steps back, tripped, and hit his head on the ground. Hard. He was out for half-an-hour, the others waiting and formulating a better way to get this through to him. Rukia offered to draw a few diagrams for him to see, but that idea was quickly shot down. They didn't want poor Ebisu to laugh to death, something that would surely happen if he took one look at Rukia's "art".

Saving them from immense effort, Ebisu seemed to remember everything when he woke back up. He was in a much more rational mindset then, and allowed the trio to explain everything before he questioned them again. He nodded and commented where it was appropriate, still unsure of why they were telling him all of this. He'd learned so much about life in those five minutes of talking already that he had no idea what else there was he could cram inside his memory.

It was then they explained Chakra, Reiatsu, and a strange creature called a 'Hollow'. Poor Ebisu shuddered when he thought of a Hollow, picturing it to be a large, slimy, grotesque beast with a bloody hole straight through its chest. The man had a better imagination than his pupils gave him credit for…

All in all, he was able to reconcile with the idea of the monsters and listened on. It was then everything became clear. These kids needed him to be a trainer for the Ichigo-doppelganger, that way the shinigami wouldn't be so weak in comparison to shinobi. (Though Ebisu had to admit, being stronger than a Death God sounded pretty damn nice.) Nonetheless, Sakura made an effort to explain to him how much he owed them, especially Naruto. And seeing how Ichigo was considered Naruto's "friend"…

"Fine, I will do it." Ebisu stated, crossing his arms. It was hard to tell how he looked; there could have been a pleased gleam to his eyes, or a piercing, fiery dislike behind those black shades. Whatever he thought of it, they could not tell.

xXx

( Soul Society: Seireitei: Captains' Assembly Hall )

With the Absence of Kaname Tousen, Sousuke Aizen, and Ichimaru Gin, the hall seemed oddly absent. Three Captains, all gone…it was a big disgrace to all of Soul Society. Not because those three men had died, or "retired". Oh, no, there was much more behind that. After the minor invasion of Soul Society by Ichigo and his friends, everyone began to understand just how pitiful they had been. They had failed to realize that those three men were complete traitors. When they had finally seen the light, it was all too late. Aizen had abandoned Soul Society and the other two for evil.

As much as the Captains wanted to discuss more about this, they couldn't. Today's issue was not of Aizen, which had to be postponed. Instead there was a much bigger problem at hand, one that had been reoccurring for years now. And in order to solve this problem, every Captain was gathered in the Assembly Hall, standing in two clean lines on either side of Captain-Commander Yamamoto. The old man looked down the lines, only sighing at the sight of the three open spaces, where the traitors had once stood only months ago…

Around him was nothing but noise. People here and there, arguing about the fate of the dastardly hollow they had come to know as 'Jiryokou'. Some people wanted to finally finish off the hollow, where as others (namely Mayuri) wanted to keep it alive for experiments. After all, how often do you meet a hollow that can manipulate time in its simplest form? Despite all the disagreement, there was _one _thing they had all come to agree on: Jiryokou must be a _very _old hollow.

Not able to handle the constant pressure the noise had on his temples, the old man raised one hand and instantly boomed an order nobody could ignore. "SILENCE." He called. Right then and there the noise stopped, coming to clean halt. All the nine captains that were there turned their attention at Yamamoto, nervous and unsure. Although they were accustomed to his vocal force, that didn't make it any less unnerving.

"Before we come to a complete census on how to deal with Jiryokou, lets discuss what we know about him." He advised, receiving nods from a fair amount of captains. A little relieved that there was no resistance, he rubbed his palms together, saying, "Well…lets see…we know quite a bit about him already, don't we?"

"Exactly the more reason to exterminate him, once and for all!" Komamura spoke out, raising his anthropomorphic paws in the air, curling them into fists. He was very determined on the subject. From afar could be heard a chuckle, which immediately caught Komamura's attention. It was from none other than Toshiro Hitsugaya. What a _wonderful _kid.

Toshiro shook his head, looked shockingly amused. "Do you honestly think that would work? That killing everything is the answer to all problems?" He didn't wait for an answer to continue. "As much as we would all like to take a swing at Jiryokou, we can't. Let's not forget that he's fooled and captured three shinigami altogether, who are likely still stuck in whatever time he dumped them in."

Yamamoto was quick to interject. "Ah, but does that really matter, Toshiro? What if, in the end, we can't save those three shinigami. What if they're stuck there forever, and there's nothing we can do about it?"

The prodigy's upper lip twitched madly. He wanted to hold his tongue at Yamamoto, but he found that to be increasingly hard. "If Jiryokou can send them off, then he can surely bring them back." Many did not agree with Toshiro, nearly all but one…

"I concur. Toshiro is right."

As if to amaze all the captains, Byakuya Kuchiki spoke out. He hardly spoke during these Assemblies; did he really intend to speak out now? An induced coma on Captain-Commander Yamamoto would have been more expected than Byakuya talking out. It was, to put it simply, amazing.

"Jiryokou was able to defeat and transport three shinigami total, all three of them being very big assets to Soul Society. First, we had Kurosaki Ichigo, substitute shinigami for the human realm. Second there was Kuchiki Rukia, a member of the _noble _Kuchiki family. And thirdly, there was Abarai Renji, Lieutenant to the 6th Division. Those are all very important people, and I believe without them we are at a great loss."

"Preposterous!" Suì-Fēng rang out, angrily taking a step forwards with her fist outstretched. "You're just trying to save those three because one is your sister, one is your sister's friend, and the other is your own lieutenant! For the lives of three you'd rather have the whole Gotei 13 risk theirs!" Murmurs of agreement could be heard throughout the hall. "Admit it, Kuchiki, you're partial to them!"

Even in all of her assaults, Byakuya could not be swayed. His face portrayed no emotion as he crossed his arms over his torso. "Watch yourself, Suì-Fēng. You don't know what you're talking about. Have you forgotten what happened only weeks ago?" That was when things became heated.

Byakuya stepped up, standing between the two lines to face Yamamoto. He wasn't in the mood to argue. "Kurosaki Ichigo has proved to be a valuable resource for us. He's shown much potential, and can be of great use in Karakura Town. However, now that he is … _gone _… Karakura Town, a town that possesses more spiritual power than we have seen ever before, is completely defenseless." The other captains didn't like to admit it, but they knew Byakuya was right. Thus, without another second to loose, his continued, "Kuchiki Rukia was wrongly imprisoned, something that would have never happened had it not been for Aizen and his plan. We still owe her quite a lot, considering the turmoil she and many others went through. And finally, Abarai Ren-"

"Enough."

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's loud voice was strong enough to silence Byakuya, who obediently stepped back into formation. The old man slowly sauntered down the middle of the hall, looking over each of the Captains. He stopped short of Byakuya and Suì-Fēng. "You do prove a point, Captain Kuchiki. Unfortunately, you are outnumbered. I, too, agree with Suì-Fēng. You are letting your relations to the victims get in the way. Think about it, you'll see." He began his walk again, his hands clasped behind his back. "Jiryokou has been left alive for far too long. By killing him we _may_ loose three people, but we will gain many years of peace before another hollow like him appears." He clenched his jaw, very aware of the hateful glare Byakuya shot at the back of his head.

"I'm issuing a 'kill on sight' authorization. You are all dismissed."

xXx

**Author's Note::**

I believe I've gotten my inspiration back, ever since I plotted out four to five more chapters of this fanfiction. Yaaaay~

Anyways, I started this chapter only six days after updating the story last. I'm so happy to start working on the good stuff. Up until now we've had to sit and drone through all the little unimportant stuff. Drama, action, and shocking plot twists (one experimental idea I have in mind involving the ever-so mysterious Zetsu) await! Just sit still. I can't really let the shinigami play any real involvement until the 4th Shinobi War.

On a side note, I promise to try and skip any unimportant conversations that nobody wants to hear about. Only stuff involving the main point of this story (the mixture of shinigami into the plot, and soon the amazing plot twist) will be written down. I've been working far too slow, and if I want to catch up with my goal (which was to be at the end of the Kage Summit by now) I will have to work harder. I have such big goals for this fanfiction. Be assured that this project will NOT end anytime soon. I have at least another year of working on this before I end it. I've spent far too much on the plotline to leave it any less.

Be prepared for some pretty awesome installments to come~ Oh, and please review, it warms my heart.

For now, anyways, Adieu.


	11. Road to Recovery

**Bleach ©Tite Kubo**

**Naruto ©Masashi Kishimoto**

**The concept of Jiryokou ©Dahlia Derbyshire**

xXx

( Land of Iron )

Suna shinobi…or at least, that's what Renji had been told to call them. During their little "trip", the two more talkative divulged more about the Elemental Nations' cultures, ranking system, and insignificant historical details. Renji, being the type of person who didn't like learning, was bored. Much to Temari's dismay, he yawned several times when she took the liberty of explaining. She was ignorant to the fact that a fair amount of his yawns were forced, their purpose being to get Temari to either shut up, or let Kankuro do all the talking.

Renji had made a lot of useful speculation of the three before him. First and foremost, there was Temari. She was a good-looking girl, Renji would admit, but that was it. When she wasn't acting pretty like a normal woman, she was either arguing with her brothers or batting her eyelashes at Renji. Just how bipolar was the woman? She changed moods and temperaments so often that Renji eventually lost any and all interest, taking the time to glance at their surroundings. (This, again, was just a front. He'd rather let her think he was more interested in the environment than he was her.)

Aside from the ever-so confusing Temari, there was Kankuro. Renji wasn't sure what he thought about Kankuro yet. All he could be sure of was that Kankuro was, undoubtedly, a determined, stubborn, unlikeable ass who tormented Renji for his appearance relentlessly. If anything, he and Kankuro were a lot alike. If a fight was to break out, not only would they both enter into it willingly, but they would refuse to back down. Thus, Renji's relationship with Kankuro was very confusing, and it didn't help that even as he tried to figure out Kankuro, Temari would suddenly intervene. That crazy female…

And then there was the head honcho; the man of the hour; their leader, Gaara. Unlike Kankuro, Renji knew what he thought about Gaara. This red-haired guy was a force to be reckoned with. Not once had he said a word since he practically ordered Renji to come with him. He was stone cold, and almost lifeless. Though Renji doubted that was it. There was more to this Gaara than what met the eye…a secret about him that nobody felt obligated to tell. Renji hated it. He hated the secrets, the mysteries, and everything about Gaara. Just by standing next to Gaara, Renji got the feeling of being inferior. It was the same thing he felt next to Byakuya! It made him so irritated, that he almost wanted to confront the situation.

Almost.

Renji was not a complete fool. If this air around Gaara was so similar to Byakuya, then there was a chance that his strength was as well. In Renji's weakened condition (no thanks to Jiryokou) there was no way he'd fair well in a serious fight, against a serious opponent. Kankuro was one thing; this Gaara was a whole other story…

While being engaged in his own thoughts and excuses as to avoid Temari's flirting and Kankuro's crude jokes, Renji hardly noticed how the weather seemed to change the more they traveled. The fact that the sand gradually thinned and disappeared, leading them to a land full of snow and trees was something Renji did not see. At least not until the cold from the snow began to seep into his sandals, sending a cold shock up his body.

This had to be it, the Land of Iron.

One thing was for sure, Renji didn't like it. Snow was so troublesome, and he knew all too well that cold weather and fighting didn't go hand-in-hand. Often enough hollows or stronger opponents had the advantage over Renji in such cold weather. It was, to put it simply, insufferable.

Up ahead Renji saw a single building, following a very old, traditional architecture style. It had layer upon layer of snow-covered roofing, until it the very tip morphed into a sharp point. Surrounding the building were strange, armor-clad men who had weapons the size of an average Zanpakutou. There was one person in particular that awaited the group as they approached. It was an older man, but not so old that he appeared weak or foreboding. Around his head above his eyebrows was a wrap, a little pointless in Renji's opinion. The man and his armored friends were all still shorter than Renji, but did not look any nicer. The older one especially had a constipated look to his face, only showcased by his long talon-like mustache and beard. Strange, strange man…

"We've been waiting for you." The old man spoke to Gaara, his voice portrayed wisdom with his many years. "I am the leader of the Land of Iron, my name is Mifune." The old man didn't smile, or give any sense of welcome. He merely stood there with his displeased look and waited for a response on Gaara's part.

"It's a pleasure. I'm Gaara, the Kazekage." Gaara spoke, pulling down his scarf (that Renji hadn't even _seen _the man put on) that was meant to keep him warm in order to talk. He lightly gestured to his friends, respectively saying, "This is Temari, Kankuro, and Renji."

That was the most Renji had heard Gaara speak in a _long _while. Just what else was the infamously young Kazekage (from what Renji had learned) hiding beneath that bleak stare of his? Even more importantly, just how did a person with his personality become the Kazekage in the first place? If Renji understood correctly, the Kazekage was the highest ninja rank in the Land of Wind, meaning Gaara was the most powerful shinobi of his village. Just how did someone like Gaara obtain such a title?

Renji, with no intention of being rude, couldn't imagine a scenario where Gaara gained such a title. He tried his best to picture it, but came up with nothing. It couldn't be a situation of honor, could it…? Which left Renji with the assumption that, of all things, Gaara had acquired it through birthright. That was hard to believe, since any mention of the former Kazekage had been left out during conversation, or Renji had been ignoring the others at the time.

Mifune was a little hasty to get them into the building, not wasting time for further introductions. Followed by two bald men, also looking equally as constipated, Mifune led the others into the building, Renji tracing over every detail with his eyes. This was quite a big, new experience to behold… Even more exciting was the tense aura that everyone seemed to give out.

'_This Kage Summit must be pretty damn big,_' Renji thought, smirking.

xXx

( Konohagakure no Sato )

Of all the decisions Rukia had made in her life, this was the only one she was fuzzy on. Joining the Kuchiki family had been an easy thing to think about; her entrance to the Academy followed that even more so. The point is that Rukia was always so sure about herself, so convinced that whatever may happen her decision was for the best. It was only natural that she was irritated with herself and confused about her position in Konoha. She was just a shinigami, what could she do that shinobi couldn't?

She may have _looked _completely positive when she told Ichigo and Sakura that this was her decision, this was what she needed. If she was going to be of any help to Ichigo, whom she knew wouldn't be rendered powerless here, she needed to become stronger. This training could help. Then again, it was easier said then done.

Ichigo and Sakura were not as convinced with her decision as she was. "Are you sure?" They would ask in turn, looking at her with a puzzled demeanor. As a response, Rukia would merely nod, or positively confirm it. She was sure…or at least, she would be sure. Besides, if (and that's a major _if_) the training did not even help, she could always stay on the side lines. Reluctantly, she could let Ichigo hold up the reputation for shinigami everywhere.

She was pulled from her thoughts when, if not for the hundredth time, she was asked if she was positive. She nodded, forcing a smile. "Yes, I completely sure of this. If I stay with Kon during his training, not only can I keep his behavior in line-" A rowdy 'Hey!' could be heard in the background. "-but I might be able to learn a thing or two that could prove useful to me in the long run."

Her answer, although shaky was sufficient. The two before her nodded, glancing to where Ebisu stood. The Jounin waved his hand in dismissal. With that one gesture he assured the two that everything would be alright; Ichigo who had always been a loyal friend felt relieved that they had found a solution; and Sakura, who had become fond of the shinigami in their short acquaintance, was happy to see Rukia settled. All in all, the meeting with Ebisu was successful in their eyes.

Though there was a certain mental strain Rukia inflicted upon herself as she watched the two walk away, left with Kon and Ebisu to begin. She had so many worries, impossible to count. They plagued her brain, making the second feel like minutes and the minutes feel like hours. Everything was longer, stretched out and very tedious. Yet, no matter how hard she was on herself, Rukia didn't back down. She turned to her ninja sensei, hands to her side, fingers flexing, ready to go.

Thus, the nightmare had begun.

xXx

( Still Konoha )

However worried Ichigo was, he did not let it get to him. Rukia was strong, and she could handle herself. He compiled his worries together and collectively pushed them aside, focusing on his surroundings.

Konoha was looking better. In just the select hours he had been there, truly examining his surroundings, Konoha looked like it was on the road to recovery. Around the crater was a stable fence, making Ichigo wonder if they intended to turn the crater into some memorial, or tourist attraction. He contemplated asking Sakura, and came very close to doing so, but stopped himself when he saw her. She was deep in thought. Any other moment Ichigo would have loved to break her deep thought process, causing her to scold him loudly and quite possibly violently. This time, however, he couldn't do that. This was a rare time for him, where he opened up and showed some civility. To maintain a good opinion of himself he turned back to looking at the village. He glanced at it all, examining whatever he could find. The buildings that were slowly being erected caught his attention, as did the hard-working, pink-faced construction workers. One of which merrily waved to Sakura as they passed, getting a "Hey Tazuna!" out of her.

A little eager to end the silence, Ichigo opened his mouth to inquire about this 'Tazuna' but what stopped short. The roseate halted, her eyes downcast. He came to a stop beside her, a sardonic look to his face. She saw it, clear enough, when she finally raised her eyes to look at him. Something was bothering her, and he had not a clue as to what it was. Though he could only assume based on what she asked soon after.

"So, what do you think Naruto left the village for? Do you think he's doing all right?"

Why she asked the question was for a reason unknown, but he felt obliged to answer her. "I'm sure he's doing fine. He left with Kakashi and some guy they called 'Yamamoto'. Sort of like Captain-Commander Yamamoto..." Noticing he had drifted off, and her gaze had fallen once again, he cut in, "Still, they're probably just doing some recon work. Isn't that usually what shinobi do?"

Quick to avoid answering that, Sakura started walking yet again. She shook her head. "No, not always. But it's probably better if you think that." She gave a weak smile.

He nodded in understanding. The silence continued, ebbing on and forcing him to end it once again with a question. Talking to Sakura when she was down was no easy task... "So you're in medicine?"

"Uh huh. I'm what we call a 'Medical Ninja' or a 'Medic Nin'. My sensei was Tsunade-sama, the Hokage before this 'Danzo' guy..." Her eyebrow twitched, just thinking about the Black Ops leader.

"He seems like a pretty shady character." Ichigo was sorely dissatisfied with his effort to make small talk.

Her response was short and unnerving: a brisk nod of the head told Ichigo she agreed.

Once again, it was left up to Ichigo to help heal this social disgrace of a conversation. He changed the topic back to medicine. Though at the beginning he did not hear much of what she said. As she blabbered on and on about what the priorities of a Medic Nin had to be, and what they could do, he thought to himself: Why was he so intent on getting Sakura to talk to him? Was there a reason why he wanted to be so nice to her, the girl who had made his first day in Konoha torture? He remember the sweltering heat in that tent like it was only hours ago. (Which, in truth, it was.) Eventually he was brought back by a shred of understanding in Sakura's words.

"Everyone has to make choices, and once Sasuke had left the village, I knew had to make mine." He rose a brow, not allowed a chance to respond for she hesitantly went on. "After Sasuke left...I just...I had a feeling that there was something I was doing wrong. Time and time again, Naruto and the others would leave to find him, or do something for him. Always for Sasuke, always... I was beginning to think that they would never bring him back where he belongs, home. I realized, soon after the last batched attempt to bring him back that the problem wasn't with the others, or Naruto, who had risked his life to fulfill a promise he made to _me._No, there wasn't a problem with them. There was only a problem with _me_.

"The weakling. The screw-up. Sometimes I was worse than Naruto. I may have been book-smart, but how could that help me in a world of street-smarts? I was a fool to think that he would ever come back if I didn't do anything. For so long I fawned over him, and I let him preoccupy my mind when I could have been learning and becoming stronger, like Naruto. You could say Sasuke finally leaving was the best thing he ever did for me, the girl he never cared about..."

"Sakura..."

She held up a hand, her eyes watery as she continued. "With him gone, I had something to become determined about. My mind was clearer, and I realized what I had to do. Even so, it still hurt. He rejected me in every form possible, and even then I still thought I could win his heart. Even now I'm still delusional... Though if it wasn't for Tsunade-sama I would have never dug myself out of that ignorant hole I had been throwing myself in. She helped me so much. And now I owe her everything. But when she needed me...when she finally needed me I-I...I wasn't there for her."

'_Aw hell,_' Ichigo thought when he saw her salty tears spill over. This was a far different Sakura than he had ever seen before, and he had no idea what to think about it. Except, to comfort her. But how _could_he comfort her? Just what could he do? In the end, he decided to treat this like he would if it was Yuzu or Karin crying in front of him.

"You shouldn't think like that." He started, patting her shoulder lightly. "I'm sure you're misjudging yourself. This can't be true. I've seen you in action. Against those wolves you were stronger than I could have ever imagined. Tsunade, if she had seen that, wouldn't want you to be talking like this now."

She narrowed her eyes. It was right then and there he realized he had made the wrong move.

Sakura swatted his hand away angrily, stepping up her pace. "You don't know what you're talking about. That's not what Tsunade would think. She would be disappointed, and would have wanted me to use more force on those wolves. Furthermore, that doesn't excuse how much I failed her during the Pain Attack. I did my best to keep the Hospital afloat, but I should have focused more. Everyone was so distraught, nobody noticed Pain rise in the sky. Until it was too late. If I could have seen that, there might have been something I could do. Instead, I was suddenly a victim like every other person in this village. Lying in the rubble I was sure I was going to die. But I didn't, and do you know _why_?" She didn't give him time to answer. "Tsunade had used up all her energy to save every single last one of us. She'd poured her strength to keep us from falling, and even then tried to go head-and-head with Pain.

"But as usual, Naruto saved her. He always saves us. I know it's selfish to think this, but _I_should have been there for Tsunade. I should have sprung out from the rubble and rushed to her. If I could have been there sooner, maybe she could have been saved..." Sakura directed her eyes to the ground, her hands balled into fists. "I'm so tired of being able to do nothing. I'm still so hopeless."

No more, no more of this! Where was the Sakura that had tortured him? Where was the girl that seemed to surprise everyone with her strength? He wasn't hesitant anymore, and was sure that he had to change the direction of this conversation. He couldn't handle this like he would Yuzu or Karin, _that_ much was obvious.

He took Sakura's shoulders in his hands, surprising her with not only the contact but his furious expression. "Quit it, stop that right now! If you keep talking like this you will never change. If you constantly denounce yourself, you will always be unhappy with yourself. So just, stop." His voice was loud, and booming. He caught the eyes of so many others, only making this even more strenuous to him. He sighed, taking his hands away. He had shocked Sakura into silence, and took this golden opportunity to continue. "Nobody is disappointing in you. You are not a disgrace. If you could see what we all see, then you wouldn't be spouting all this crap."

She crossed her arms, avoiding eye-contact. He'd proven his point. Finally, she had gotten the message, but not the same message Ichigo had been trying to give her. She saw this whole little conversation in a much different light.

"I don't know why I'm telling all this stuff to a complete stranger..." She mumbled, "This is all something only Naruto could really relate to, that fool." That thought began the domino-effect of her mind. Thinking of Naruto led her thoughts to another thing, and then another. Until she was far too curious about Naruto's departure from the village.

"I'm just not sure…" She mumbled, surprising Ichigo as she started at a run. He caught up, looking to her quizzically. Just what was she talking about? As if to answer his questions, she went on, "I'm just not sure! This is too suspicious! Naruto just up and left the village with Kakashi-sensei and Yamamoto without telling anyone what they were up to? This can't be right. He would have told me something, unless he already did tell me and I just wasn't listening…"

Ichigo was a little pleased to see Sakura as herself again. As much as he welcomed bonding with other people, bonding with Sakura was a different story. Their conversation had gotten far too personal, and it was nice to see it take a change for the better. A little too happily, he responded, "What do you think it is?"

Ominously, she began cracking her knuckles. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out. When he comes back, I'll beat the answer out of him… Oh, but I can't wait that long! I need to find out now! Or at least have someone tail him for me."

Someone tail him for her? Ichigo had a bad feeling about this…

The light bulb seemed to glow brilliantly over Sakura's head. Their running came to a complete stop as she swiveled to face Ichigo. "You. You will tail Naruto and figure this all out first-hand. Then you will come straight back to me and give me all the details if I had not heard already. Capiche?"

The devilish look to her eye was a force to be reckoned with. Before Ichigo knew it, he was nodding his head in approval. He couldn't believe himself. Sure, Sakura was a girl, and yes, she had just cried in front of him, but did that really mean he had to do anything she asked? He felt like he was talking to Rukia, and he realized almost too soon that there was no way to get out of this. Sakura was certain of this, and he was just a foot-soldier.

Just a foot-soldier…

( Approximately two minutes prior )

It was despicable. Abominable. Crazy… Sakura would have never expected Ichigo to be so gentle, at least not at first sight. Even more insane was how she had so willingly spilled out her worries to him, like a water fountain that could not be turned off or clogged. It was irritating, to say the least.

For someone like Ichigo to stand by and take everything she threw at him, now _that _was impressive. If Kiba had been there, he would have ran away or avoided it altogether. Lee would have gone off on one of his tangents about 'youth', no doubt soon to be accompanied by Guy. The only male Sakura could think of (before that day) that would have stood by her and listened was Naruto. She would have never imagined Ichigo to have such a welcoming demeanor with this kind of stuff.

Yet how did she thank him? She blew up in his face. Typical Sakura… **He's right, you know, you wimp! **Inner-Sakura would scream, demanding to be heard. She would just push that apparition away, letting her disgrace in herself dominate her thoughts. While talking to Ichigo, she felt she had no control over her body, or her voice. She did what she felt like, and she said what she felt like, without even a second-thought. It was crazy, and it infuriated Sakura!

To hide her shock and disappointment she had let reality sink in, finally seeing that despite how open he may seem, Ichigo was still just a stranger. Nothing more. Therefore there was no way she should be compelled to confess anymore, especially when he so roughly made it clear to her that this topic should never be discussed again. She had to admit, to take hold of the situation like that…Ichigo certainly did have a back-bone.

Her idea was brilliant, in her eyes. The suspicions she had about Naruto were enflamed, and she knew just how to ease her conscience. She had expected more resistance on Ichigo's part. He seemed so willing, even a little eager. It was unnerving. An obedient Ichigo wasn't one she had the pleasure of seeing that often, and a part of her wished to see him more often. If he acted like this all the time, fights would never break out. She would always have the upper-hand! Amazing!

But…there was a problem with her plans.

How would Ichigo tail Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamamoto? As far as she could tell, he was not a tracker like Kiba and Akamaru. Nor did he have a ocular ability that would lead him in the right direction. On his own, there was no way he could reach Naruto. She voiced her thoughts aloud, confusing Ichigo even more as she went on and on about the issues with her formally foolproof plan. They couldn't go through with it if Ichigo didn't know where he was going.

Thus, it was like a gift from above when Sakura heard familiar voices. Her speech froze, ears perked, as she focused on the direction of the voices. They were calling her, from behind. Eagerly she turned, extremely relieved to see who was approaching.

The first person she noted, and probably the most important person to her cause, was Hinata. Looking as carefree as ever the girl approached the two, smiling and waving at them. From the corner of her eye Sakura saw Ichigo wave back, a much too pleased smile on his face. For someone who wasn't great with most people, he seemed to get along with Hinata quite well. Almost _too _well…

With her eyes solely focused on Hinata, it startled the roseate when three other voices chimed in with their own greetings. She looked to them, a little forlorn to see who belonged to the voices. Of course, she could have recognized Ino's voice anywhere…that pig… Pushing any rude thoughts aside she gave a slight nod to Shikamaru and Choji, whom she blatantly ignored when her thoughts returned to her personal mission for Ichigo.

"You're just the person I wanted to see." Sakura said in a disturbingly sugar-sweet voice. Without her knowing it, the others gave her suspicious glances. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Shikamaru, after deducing what Sakura could want to talk about, knew he couldn't let it happen. He stepped in, one hand raised in dismissal. "No way, Sakura. Hinata with us on a mission, you can't use her Byakugan right now. Ask her later." He then turned his attention to Ichigo. He didn't look the least bit pleased. "Is this who everyone is talking about?" He asked.

"So who's your friend?" Ino cut in.

Shikamaru's words had deflated her hope, but not completely. To get on his good side, she answered his question gently. "Yes, this is him. Everyone, meet Ichigo." She gestured to him, then pointing to them respectively while saying, "And this is Choji, Shikamaru, and Ino. You already know Hinata."

He gave a classic anime sweat-drop at the others, a hand clutching his neck. He was put on the spot by Sakura's introduction. Their eyes had been so bored earlier, but when they saw him, something seemed to light up. Particularly in Ino's eyes. Little did he know she had a thing for tall, handsome strangers… He wanted to evade their eyes badly, and to do that he could only think of saying one thing. He smiled apologetically to Sakura. "Well, I think I will go tail Naruto now. He couldn't have gotten too far… It was nice meeting you all." He turned to exit, but a very delicate hand uncharacteristically held him back.

Sakura shook her head. "No, no, no. You'll never be able to find him if you go on your own. We don't even know where he is, and you have no tracking capabilities whatsoever." The fact that Sakura referred to him like an object, didn't seem to bother him, shockingly.

Choji, the ever-so kind ninja, spoke up. "You don't know where he is, Sakura? Didn't he tell you he was going to the Iron Country? It's got something to do with the Kage Summit, I think." Choji wasn't fazed by the look of pure delight that Sakura succumbed to.

She choked on her own words, still holding Ichigo back with her hand. "Really? Are you positive?" He nodded. "This is great! Did you hear that, Ichigo? My plan hasn't failed at all. Now that we know where you need to go, I can just point you in the direction and you will be there in no time!"

The rosette's momentary ecstasy was ended with Ino. The blond looked proud as she crossed her arms and said, "That's a foolish way to think. What if he's attacked? He'll be all alone, not able to do a thing."

"Not if he goes with us." Choji told Ino, once again surprising everyone.

Shikamaru sighed, muttering incoherent words that sounded like 'this is such a drag'. He looked from Sakura, to Ichigo, and then to the others. He knew exactly where this was heading… "Next you, Sakura, are going to want to force your new boyfriend on us for some rea-"

"BOYFRIEND!" Sakura fumed, immediately releasing Ichigo from her hold.

Shikamaru ignored her. "As I was saying, you will force him on us for reasons unknown. No matter what I say I can't change Choji, Ino, or Hinata's mind. They are all far too curious about this new stranger to give up such a great opportunity when we are, admittedly, heading in the same direction for a mission of our own. Even if the tables were turned, and we _didn't _want him to come along, we would still be forced. You would release your fury on us, demanding that we take him along. In short, there's no way to get around this. Hinata," he turned to look at the kunoichi, who was startled by the mention of her name, "I'm putting you in charge of Ichigo, since you already know him. Now let's go."

The ease that whole conversation had was a little relaxing. Knowing that she would soon understand everything, no longer left out of the loop, she felt content with herself. Even with Shikamaru's rude assumption, she was at ease. Boyfriend… '_Sheesh, I can't believe the nerve of him_,' she thought to herself, shaking her head.

With just a few things to add, Sakura held Ichigo aside from the others. "Now listen closely," she started, "Anything you hear, _anything of importance_, tell me and don't leave it out when you report back to me, whenever that is. I don't know how you're going to return to Konoha, but it shouldn't be too hard to return alone. Your Chak- uh, Reiatsu is so subtle to our senses that staying hidden shouldn't be a problem. Just avoid Naruto, he's been around you a lot, and like me I think he might be able to recognize you from a distance."

This whole mission was cunning and well-thought, it sounded like something a spy would do. Ichigo had to admit, it was a little uplifting. He didn't like the idea of traveling there with three strangers, but his natural curiosity about what was going on made it bearable. For the first time since he had arrived, he gave a genuine laugh. "I think I'll be able to manage," he told her, "just stop worrying."

He was about to walk towards the others, who were waiting for him out of ear-shot, when he was once again pulled back by Sakura. She had a deathly serious look. This was no game to her… "Whatever you do, don't let them in about your special _circumstance_." She warned him.

Rolling his eyes, he countered, "I got it, Sakura, I got it. Shinigami aren't common knowledge. No big deal. I can handle myself."

The roseate raised an eyebrow to say "Are you sure about that?" but before she knew it, he was off, leaving her anticipating his return.

**Author's Note::**

The last chapter I wrote wasn't very long. I had originally wanted to make 10 longer, but I wanted it to flow, so I couldn't just edit the order of events in the plot. I feel chapter 11 is an extremely important chapter, and I've spent at least four days writing and rough-editing it. I hope you like it!

Sorry for all the filler crap. I just needed something to make this chapter a bit longer. All the good stuff is saved for later.

Also, if you're reading this and you're interested in becoming a beta-reader for it, contact me through fanfiction, not my email. I prefer to have a beta-reader who has been following the story along, rather than one I pick up from the streets. *Cough* Uh, I mean...the beta-reader list. : D

Please, oh please review!

~ Adieu


	12. Only Time Will Tell

**Bleach ©Tite Kubo**

**Naruto ©Masashi Kishimoto**

**The concept of Jiryokou ©Dahlia Derbyshire**

xXx

( Leaving Konohagakure )

"Sakura seems awfully worried about you, don't you think?"

Ichigo had been walking with the group for half-an-hour now, and not once did Ino seem to give him a break. She was bombarding him with questions he preferred not to answer. Anything he said could be incriminating, and lead to his "special circumstances". Sakura had reminded him very thoroughly before he left that he couldn't reveal who he was to these people. First off, they would never believe him, and if they _did _it was likely they'd try to destroy him.

He rubbed the back of his head humbly. "Sure, that's what friends do, right?" He answered. The word "friend" was hard to comprehend when it came to Sakura. Were they friends?

Ino seemed to smile. "Just friends?" She raised an eyebrow.

After answering about a billion of her questions, Ichigo did not look forward to answering this one. Luckily, he was saved when Choji spoke up. "So where are you from, Ichigo?"

Still, the question wasn't much of an improvement. "Uhh," he stuttered, deep in his own thoughts. He needed to say a place that they wouldn't know about, initially that meant making something up. A name in mind, he smiled perkily. "I'm from the Hidden Rock Village." To him, there was no way somebody would put "rock" in the name of their village. Of course, he was wrong.

Shikamaru cut in, closely analyzing Ichigo as he said, "So you're from Iwagakure? I've heard that's a nice place."

Damn these shinobi were good.

For once Ichigo was thankful that they were almost to a destination. In only a few minutes they would drop Ichigo off in Iron Country, Hinata pointing in the general direction he was supposed to go. Then they would be off. Ino with her constant prodding, gone! Choji with his curiosity about food, also gone! And Shikamaru's endless critical observations also would be done with! Ichigo could hardly wait. Soon, he would be free at last!

xXx

( Land of Iron: Kage Summit )

The snow may have been a upgrade from the sand, but the building Renji now sauntered into was far better and impressive. No longer did they have to trudge through endless piles of wet, soggy, freezing snow! His feet were free, the danger of frostbite now completely avoided! (Why shinigami could get frostbite was something Renji did not know.) As usual Renji expressed his joy with a whoop or two and a nicely strung-out sequence of joyous cursing. Mifune, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro ignored Renji's delight. In fact, they ignored Renji altogether. It was as if he wasn't even there…

'_Must be an outsider thing,_' he told himself, sending conspicuous looks Gaara's way. He glanced over each person a few times, doing his best to ignore the casual glances Ino sent his way. He didn't like Ino, there was only room for one woman in his heart.

Once again his thoughts wandered back to his feet when they finished walking over the bridge, approaching a set of gates that reminded Renji of one of the four gates to Seireitei. It was big, and it was bold. The only difference was how there was only one gate, and said gate was covered mercilessly in snow. Behind it was the building he had seen earlier, the one they were now approaching. However, a closer look made everything about it change to Renji. Now it looked like a stack of rectangular blocks, each block a little smaller than the last as it reached up to a peak at the top. It looked nothing like a pyramid that he had thought of. If anything, it was _bigger _than a pyramid.

"S'pretty unique, isn't it?" Temari chimed a hopeful gleam to her eyes. Much to her displeasure, Renji gave her a quick-once over, a single nod, and then returned to the building. He didn't _feel _like responding to Temari. Her advances were much too obvious.

"Sure, I've never seen anything like it," he told them, shrugging.

Mifune led them through the gates respectfully. Though something about Mifune didn't seem right… To Renji, his aura was rich with Reiatsu, but why? Mifune was obviously not a shinigami, or else he would have recognized Renji's unusual attire by now. Whatever Mifune was, he was obviously different than Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro.

Any further thoughts Renji may have had were shattered as the gates began to close. He flinched, feeling something in the air change. His responsibility to his life as a shinigami kicked in the more he sensed the presence. It felt more like a Hollow than anything he had encountered thus far. Quickly he went to Gaara's side. Someone had to be notified, and Renji didn't trust flirty Temari or snippy Kankuro. He made sure to keep his voice down low, to a decibel he knew only Gaara (who was now closest to him) would hear.

"Don't be alarmed, but for your sake you need to know that I'm not a shinobi like you all. I'm a shinigami, and the thing I'm trained to fight, a Hollow, has now entered the Iron Country." Gaara's face didn't change; he looked as bored as ever. Yet Renji knew he could hear him. "Don't be surprised if I suddenly leave to go fight that _thing_. I will explain everything later."

Gaara nodded affirmatively, relieved Renji sighed and retreated to the back of the group. He was sure Gaara would keep that information to himself, and he was equally as sure that if it was necessary, Gaara would let Renji explain himself. Not only that, but he was absolutely positive that if it was needed, Renji would be able to sneak away (with the aid of Gaara) to fight whatever lay miles away. Whatever it was, it felt oddly familiar…

_Jiryokou_, Renji thought.

xXx

Entering the Land of Iron, something felt off to Ichigo. He ignored the off-feeling as he was directed by Hinata. "Naruto-kun should be that way," she told him shyly. He started off in the direction as the others left for whatever mission they were on. Following the path the nagging feeling he had returned, that something wasn't right. He could feel two unmistakable presences, both very strong. One he recognized, but could not put a name or a face to, and the other was new. Combined, Ichigo hadn't felt so much raw and trained power mixed together ever before, and he knew for certain that he never wanted to sense it again; a chill ran up his spin.

Soon enough he heard voices and followed them. He fared well, hiding behind some bushes and a tree. Based on how little they changed from when he settled himself down on the snow, Ichigo knew he had not been sensed. That in mind he took a very close look at who they were. Six people in total, three of which he recognized; they were the Kumo nin that fought with Naruto, Sakura, and Sai. The ones that wanted to know about "Sasuke". The other three Ichigo didn't recognize, but the big tan man in the middle was clearly the second presence he'd felt before. The only thing the man gave off was an essence of strength.

Samui began reporting to the man, who Ichigo assumed was her superior. Ichigo took this as a good opportunity to learn more about shinobi, but unfortunately for him she didn't even get past saying "We have returned from Konoha". The thin blond man beside their leader's face suddenly changed, and quite suddenly he was looking around at everything and anything.

He knew it, and Ichigo knew it. Samui and her gang had been followed. The pursuers were forced to step out, and it was none other than Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamamoto. The conversation that followed was a blur, but surprisingly helpful. With each moment that passed, Ichigo learned something of critical importance: Sasuke was Naruto's friend. Then why, of all things, was the huge man entitled 'Raikage' hunting Naruto's friend? It was perplexing, but it was also none of Ichigo's business. He waited patiently until it was over, ending with a small grudge on his part against the Raikage. After all of Naruto's selfless yet shameful begging, the stubborn man still refused to see it. That alone was disgraceful.

The Kumo nin were long gone when Yamamoto came to Naruto's side in the cold snow. "Naruto, get up." He said caringly, his voice taking a more urgent tune as he continued. "I think you've sensed it by now, too. We've got company."

Shit. They were good.

Ichigo watched as Naruto nodded, but still refusing to hoist himself up honorably. There was a different aura to Naruto now. Anger was definitely a part of it, but only a miniscule part. Out of all things, Naruto was _worried_. It was hard to believe. The Naruto Ichigo was starting to understand wasn't "worried", he was headstrong and rash. What happened to the confident Naruto that was always competing with Ichigo? Where did he go?

Perhaps a small spark of that Naruto came alive again as his eyes shot from the snowy grounds to the exact foliage Ichigo stayed huddled behind. Oh yes, this was that Naruto. No doubt striving to show he was better than Ichigo, which seemed to be a common theme.

Kakashi and Yamamoto looked his way too, and it was very clear to Ichigo: They knew he was there, just not who he was. The risk of being struck with shuriken was not only high, but one Ichigo wasn't willing to take just for some simple information. Rather like a criminal, with his hands raised high, Ichigo slowly stood up from the rustling greens.

"Don't worry…I'm alone." He told them. "I didn't bring anyone else with me." He took slow steps to their side.

Seeing Ichigo, Naruto felt the overwhelming need to stand up from the ground and glare Ichigo in the eyes. "So you saw all that?" He coughed, wiping his palms on his pant leg. They were sweaty from all the time he spent with them curled into tight white-knuckled fists.

"Yes." The shinigami stated. "I saw it all, but I'll forget it ever happened, if that's what you want. I'll just tell Sakura this whole trip was nothing." Naruto's face lighted up in both delight and confusion, Ichigo could tell. To diffuse any oncoming questions, he then commented, "She was just a little worried. But because she's so tied up in Konoha she asked me to tag along."

Kakashi didn't look very thrilled. He crossed his arms. "Very well. I would tell you to leave, but I doubt you would listen." There was a reason behind Kakashi's intent and purpose for letting Ichigo tag along; but it was unknown, even to him. Only time could tell.

xXx

**Author's Note**:

I'm so extremely sorry that I did not get this ready sooner. All my readers, I wish I could apologize to you in person and kneel down to kiss your feet. I promised you better, claiming I could update on a regular basis. I would like to give you a good, honest, decent excuse, but I'm at a loss for words right now. I have no idea what to say, and I know for a fact that none of my excuses would do you any justice. So please, forgive me. Continue reading and reviewing, and I will try my best to remember that I have a promise to uphold. But school loves to kick my ass, so responses might come as long as once-a-month from now on.

Because I want to catch up with the Naruto Manga, I will be skipping and only light describing stuff that is important, but not necessarily to the Ichigo-added plot. Let's not forget Jiryokou and Kyomu, who also have to enter the story some more. (Chapters will be a little shorter from now on, just to further the plot more.)

Huzzah for the next chapter, which will be waaaaay better!

Adieu.


	13. Lies

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto, I don't own Bleach. I just like to play around with the plots, is all! 8D

Enjoy the chapter!

xXx

Renji shuffled along with the Sand shinobi, though he was unable to wrestle away from Temari's attentions. Nonetheless he was seemingly unbothered. Renji knew he had to be on his best game, the presence he felt only miles away was nothing like those he had become accustomed to: in other words, it was not the Reiatsu of a ninja. It felt lighter, quicker, but also more potent. His recognition of the hollow in it blinded the other part from him; the _human _part. He was unable to see the possibility that the unknown Hollow could quite possibly be a person. He was already so sure it was a monster.

Inside the eccentric building he veered off from Gaara, ordered my Mifune to follow Temari and Kankuro, which he respectfully did. Albeit it was unwillingly, he allowed Gaara (the only one who knew his secret) walk alone into some fancy looking room that branched off of a dark hallway. Suspicious? Definitely.

Temari had finally eased her drabbling down, probably to keep the situation serious. This Summit was apparently a big deal to the shinobi. Renji didn't need to ask that question, he could get his answer off the serious and grave look to her face –it was hard to tell on Kankuro, who wore an awful lot of face paint for a man.

The group ascended what felt like stairs, and gathered around a large, circular empty space. Being in a tiny attic-like room, the abnormally tall Renji was forced to crouch down and peer over the edge of the empty space. It was dark down there, but he could hear voices. _Whisperings_. Only when the lights were turned on, candles ablaze, could he see what lay down there: it had to be the Kage Summit.

A large 'U' shaped table with five seats, in each seat sat what he supposed was a master of some sort, and behind each master was a long drapery painted with various kanji. He could read them all, and based off the knowledge he had learned thus far he pieced together the importance of the symbol: they were, without a doubt, the five "great" nations that Temari liked to chatter on about so much. And they just happened to be crouching directly above Gaara. In fact, now that he noticed his surroundings, he also viewed four other groups of people, all huddled together directly above a specific master. Huh, how strange.

In the air he counted the people below, bobbing his index finger with each number. He didn't count Mifune, considering how much he disliked of the man. He saw a short, old man with a big warty nose; a burly looking dark-skinned man with teeth like a bear; Gaara, looking incredibly nonchalant in the uncomfortable situation he must be in; a very gorgeous lady with her luscious hair sweeping over her left eye (a detail that was not overlooked by Temari, who promptly snorted defiantly); and a suspicious character. He didn't look like a master, not this one. He looked more like a _mental patient_. His whole forehead was wrapped, and the smallest part of his hand Renji could see was also tightly and securely wrapped. What was such an old crock doing here? At least the short dwarf knew a thing or two about looking ominous and intimidating, but this guy just felt off balance with the rest of them.

He made sure to get Kankuro's attention by poking the man's arm and pointing down to the alleged creeper. "Who's that?" He whispered.

Kankuro didn't look very thrilled about telling. He sent his shifty eyes towards the equally disconnected shinobi above the man before shaking his head. "You don't want to know who that man is." He started, "He's the Hokage, sort of a replacement for a woman named Tsunade. Personally, I liked her better…" And that settled it: This man (a "Danzo" from what Temari whispered) was not to be trusted.

Mifune asked the participants to place their hats on the table, at which moment Renji scoped out his "competition". (In all honesty, this whole ordeal felt like a competition.) Those also in the attic were just as sour looking as their masters. He was actually thankful he ended up with Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara. If Jiryokou had decided to dump him somewhere else in time, he could've ended up with the big guy who looked like he could eat a man whole, or shaky looking dork with the sword strapped to his back; no way would Renji want that.

A punch on the arm from Temari signaled his return to the Summit, and he quickly averted his eyes from the other guards and examined the happenings below. It was official:

The Summit had started.

Gaara spoke first, but was unkindly interrupted by the short, warty man from earlier. Old men…the older the got, the more superior they believed themselves to be. A particular old man came to Renji's mind: strong, stubborn, and increasingly old, always ordering around the Gotei 13 like it was nobody's business. _Hey! Yamamoto! Have you met your future self yet? _Renji thought to himself, chuckling.

The longer the meeting went on, the more it was evident nobody would agree. At least Gaara was putting in the effort and the woman was remaining courteous, the other four all had their cons. Cons that heavily outweighed the pros. Renji was thoroughly bored out of his mind, and couldn't help but thinking this time period needed a new political system. Only _five _strong powers would get them nowhere. They needed something more stable…like 13. Yes, 13 different organizational groups would be fine.

The main topic of the Summit seemed to be one thing and one thing only; or rather, one _group_. The Akatsuki came up in everything they had to say. Whether it was when Gaara mentioned being kidnapped (something he reminded himself he needed to ask about later) or the object of the Akatsuki's desire: something they called beasts. Slowly the debate began to heat up, almost ready to blow. Everybody watching from above tensed, even Renji. He didn't know why, but he felt like he trusted Gaara, and he protected those he trusted.

"Quit your yapping!" The dark-skinned man barked, slamming his hand down and breaking the surface of the table. Splinters flew up in the air, and by the time they landed back down on the table all hell broke loose.

The tension had finally boiled over once the Raikage exploded, and suddenly everyone from above had flown down to protect their leaders. In the harsher light Renji got a better look at their sweaty, exhausted faces. Even he felt the tiredness from their travels, but he suspected the Kages felt it worse, especially now that a dozen people were crowding the already stuffy and cramped room. Renji earned a few questionable looks from the others, considering the vast difference in height between them and him. (Excluding the fat, chubby man who protected the Tsuchikage, of course.)

He didn't know how, or why, but even though Renji had virtually nothing to do with the conflict he was right at Gaara's side, Zabimaru's gleaming edge drawn and ready. He felt his fingers tingle at the thought of a fight. The last challenging one he had was against Byakuya, and considering how "well" that went he wanted to redeem himself.

Mifune ordered them to stand down, which unfortunately they did. Renji followed Temari and Kankuro behind Gaara, whose expression had not changed once since they first entered the Summit. What a strange person he was…

The Raikage never eased, even when all the reinforcements took a back seat. He stayed upright, angrily pointing fingers at those around him. "Konoha, Iwa, Suna, and Kiri! Akatsuki is made up of missing nin from _your _villages!" He spat accusingly, the two men behind him nodding in agreement.

Things were never easy for Renji when it came to accusations, and he felt a hot flash of hate hit his nerves when the Raikage turned his index to not only all of Suna, but _him _specifically. "But that's not all!" The large man stated menacingly. "How can a young Kage like yourself, Kazekage, turn a blind eye to rules and bring _him _here. He could be a member of the Akatsuki! A sworn enemy! He doesn't even _look _like a ninja!" Murmurs rushed throughout the room, no doubt they were agreeing.

Gaara shook his head. "He's a surprise guest," the Kazekage simply replied.

Mifune was hardly amused. "Enough. Let's get back to business. Kurosaki, if you would…" Mifune gestured to his side, where the Samurai lined up. He wanted Renji to stand there, help ease the situation. One look from Gaara told him that not only moving was preferred, but _needed_. Obliged Renji stood with the Samurai. If anything, he felt more comfortable with them. Like him, they all possessed swords.

Shocking realization were being made. Gaara's face seemed to twist to something Renji could have never imagined. First denial, then hate, and finally came the acceptance: his precious Suna had used the evil Akatsuki for their own bidding, whether he liked it or not.

The questions were more and more prudent until they all realized that despite their wrongdoings, they needed to stop the Akatsuki. Having a mercenary group like that around long was not good, and could only result in something devastating. They were smart to realize that, but in Renji's mind that was their intelligence limit. Before he knew it, they were discussing something nearly impossible to agree on:

An alliance and all eyes were suddenly on Danzo.

xXx

( Konohagakure : Training Grounds )

Rukia was a good student, far better than many of her classmates at the Academy. She knew everything, and could memorize anything that was thrown at her. But now, she found it hard. Learning Jutsu was so much harder than she realized. There wasn't a textbook for this stuff. Instead, they climbed trees using their feet, and memorized hand signs like they were candy on Halloween. It was crazy and unfamiliar; strangely enough, Rukia _liked _it.

Albeit it was a tad awkward to be training with people like Ebisu and Kon, she could get used to that. Putting Kon's light-hearted pervert jokes and Ebisu suspicious looks to her nonexistent chest (which he was soon figuring out) aside, she could really get used to this. She didn't mind how difficult it was to learn the hand signs and memorize them. Even now she felt exhausted from all the effort, but was proud of the sweat on her brow. This was an achievement no other soul like her had ever reached. She was going down a completely new road, one that no shinigami had ever walked before. It was exhilarating, and she wanted to know more!

"Tell me more, Ebisu-sensei!" She chimed happily, already half-way up her tree when her shaky legs gave out, releasing the Chakra, and sending her falling to the ground. Luckily she was able to land on her feet, thanks to her reflexes. Kon wasn't nearly as lucky, falling and landing right on that big head of his. Rukia laughed. "Be careful! That body needs to be in one piece once Ichigo gets it back!" Oh, she was good.

Kon 'umphed', flopping over to his stomach and sliding –very much like a slug- over to her feet. "Onii-chaaaan! Why all the hate?" He asked.

Triumphantly her arms were crossed as she stood over him, and nearly retorted a very humorous comment back when Ebisu strode over, waving it off like it was nothing. "Ah, I think that's enough for today," he said modestly, wiping the back of his head to reveal his wet armpits. It seemed she was too _good _of a student, always working her teachers to the bone.

Sakura, who had been watching the training nearby was impressed, and happy to see Rukia get such a great handle on it. Her Chakra control, although shaky, was incredible! Give it a few weeks and she might be able to master her first Jutsu. _Though_, Sakura thought braggingly, _there's no way her control could ever end up better than mine. _She thought to herself, smiling. She liked Rukia, but not enough to see the prodigy in the short-haired female.

**Ooooh of course! Aren't you just all that? What a hotshot, always being the saved, never the savior. What an achievement! **Inner-Sakura retorted, for the first time in a long time, and it hurt. Thoughts like those hadn't entered Sakura's mind in years…she tried to feel better about herself, ever since she took training from Tsunade she had worked to better herself. Besides, what about her fight against the Puppet King of the Akatsuki? Was that not an achievement?

Rukia watched Sakura, oddly deep in thought, approach the sweaty group. By this time Kon was laying flat on his back, fanning himself with a loose group of large leaves he'd picked up only seconds prior. "Great work!" Sakura praised, smiling.

"Thanks," Rukia responded.

Before a decent conversation could be made, Sai was seen approaching the group. Ebisu excused him, but not without dragging Kon along with him. Ebisu had the same passion for training Kon as he did Konohamaru; nothing would get in his way. The strangled cries of weary Kon melted into the background. Rukia couldn't help but feel sorry for him, as did Sakura and Sai. Of course it had to be done, without knowing it, Kon was doing them all a huge favor.

Sai and Sakura exchanged a few words before the pinkette nodded and walked off with him, gesturing to Rukia to stay put. "We'll be right back, practice your hand signs!" Sakura called, her calm face morphing into worry the longer she talked with Sai. Rukia couldn't read lips, but by their expressions she knew it was serious. Thus there was no way she would miss out on this.

Technically, she _was_ practicing her hand signs as she followed closely behind the two. They traveled into the interior of the village, and eventually to another large tent. Inside had to be something important. The two of them snuck under the tent flap suspiciously. Rukia didn't hesitate to wait outside, her ear pressed to the cloth lightly. Listening, waiting, for any answers to questions she may have.

Through the gap in the flaps Rukia peaked, still silently going away at the hand signs. Yet at the same time she was a keen observer, picking up on Sakura's sadness and Sai's reluctance. Somewhere along the way Sakura's eyes became watery with remorse, and she was tearing up. It was unexpected, a side Rukia had never seen to Sakura.

"Even I can tell that he really loves you!"

Those words…that name…was that what this was about? The blonde-haired kid named Naruto? It was hard to imagine that he caused Sakura so much pain and anguish. Or perhaps it was the other way around? From the looks of things, Sakura regretted making _Naruto _feel that way, more or less.

With her thoughts processing at the speed of light, Rukia made no comment.

xXx

( Land of Iron )

Ichigo knew the sad tale by heart, now. Everything of importance was told to him by Kakashi and Yamamoto, who so bravely went out of their way to explain the situation with Sasuke. Luckily Naruto wasn't there at the time, but hidden away in a room in a small little inn.

The snow felt out of a place. Ichigo liked snow, a substance that all too often made him happy. But now it was hard to like snow, when he knew what Naruto had been through. Having something that close, like a brother, wasn't a concept Ichigo was very familiar with. All he had were sisters, Rukia included. A bond that close he could only imagine with Zangetsu, but unfortunately for him his Zanpakutou was incredibly anit-social; which didn't make the best brother in the world.

Now Ichigo was inside the building, Zangetsu lying at his side as he sat on the ground, with his back up to the wall. Naruto was on a futon, staring aimlessly at the ceiling. For what purpose? Ichigo didn't know. All he knew was that Naruto was "under the weather", and if they were going to get back to Konoha in one piece that needed to change. Perhaps cheering up Naruto was his purpose for his trip, the reason why Kakashi didn't boot him out miles ago.

As if on queue, Naruto curled up to his side. His eyes were squeezed shut, definitely marking this moment as Ichigo's to step in.

"You know, Naruto," Ichigo started, being blatantly ignored, "I can kind of see what Sasuke is thinking, and you could too if you tried." His voice was small, yet sturdy. Still, he got nothing out of the Jinchuriki. Nothing. Maybe he needed to try a new concept. "I do understand-"

The teen flipped over, facing Ichigo with a face that said "business". "How could you know?" He barked, suddenly sitting up off the ground. "How could you know what he's thinking, or how I feel about this? _Nobody _knows, not even Sakura!" He fell back onto his back unceremoniously.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed, this was both a challenge and a threat. "I know a lot of things, Naruto. I know that Sasuke a dirty thief and an outlaw! And he deserves it to!" Ichigo was taking a more proactive road, and without knowing it his thoughts had mimicked Naruto's. Even at that precise moment he had been thinking the same thing: that Sasuke was eaten up by hate. He and Ichigo just interpreted it a little differently.

"You know _nothing_!" He spat back, scooting up off his bum. Before either of them knew it, he was standing over Ichigo menacingly. "Stop talking about things you don't know!"

It was working. "Tsk tsk," Ichigo mocked, shaking his head. "You're a fool. Sasuke can't be saved. It's too la-"

_WHAM_!

A crushing blow of alien proportion collided with the side of Ichigo's face. He felt his jaw crunch, his whole face and body being pushed to the side with such a force he rammed right into the wall, the weight of his body breaking straight through the wood. The splintering of the surface, the gaping whole that grew on the wall as Ichigo fell through; it all felt like slow motion. Falling backwards from the building Ichigo got a good look at Naruto's face: suddenly changed. His eyes yellow and frog-like, the skin over them suddenly an orange hue.

Ichigo knew what this was, Sakura had briefly described it: Sage Mode.

xXx

( approx. one minute ago )

Naruto had been through enough to know when to keep quiet. This was one of those moments. He felt helpless, and he truly wanted to talk to Ichigo, but he was fully aware that doing such would result in more bad than good. He could hardly tolerate Ichigo, who had taken many prosperous events of hero ship away from him. Furthermore, most of the glory seemed to be highlighted in Ichigo, the tall sticking teen he was. It was irritating how perfect Ichigo was. To Konoha he was like a celebrity, not an outcast.

Why was Ichigo so easily accepted, but it took Naruto years? Ichigo had a monster inside of him, too, Naruto could tell. But was he the only one? If only the others could see that second gleam to Ichigo's eyes, a dark passenger. It was the same as the Kyuubi, more or less evil and overwhelming. Yet only Naruto could see it, and all the doting ninja who gossiped about the handsome newcomer were blind to it. Naruto would just have to prove them wrong.

If it wasn't for Ichigo being right there at that very moment, Naruto would have drifted into depressing and confusing thoughts about Sasuke and his betrayal. The universe had a reason to thank Ichigo, for unbeknownst to him, he blocked out thoughts of Sasuke from both Naruto and Sakura. They could function easier with Ichigo around, because both their minds seemed to be focused on him. One day Naruto would learn this, and would be forced to apologize for all his wrongdoings towards Ichigo, especially the one that was about to happen.

Naruto was in the midst of a deep suspicion against Ichigo when the shinigami finally spoke up, escalating the temperature of the room with just his voice. Naruto didn't want to hear what he had to say, not until he revealed what the monster inside of him was. Nonetheless he responded with zeal, spitting venom on every word. No, it wasn't one of his proudest moments, but at a time like this that was not what he thought about.

Still, Ichigo persisted, and before Naruto knew it he was fuming. Finally off the ground and hovering over the shinigami, he threateningly barked at him. Until finally his nerves came loose, the only tie keeping him calm was slipping apart like a slimy shoelace. The nature's Chakra was gathered up inside of him.

_WHAM!_

It felt good to hit Ichigo in the face. The punch so powerful it propelled Ichigo through the wall and to the cold environment outside. The fact that it was an unfair fight -Zangetsu still lying on the floor behind him- didn't occur to Naruto, who briskly jumped out of the hole in the wall and to the snow below. He landed right in front of Ichigo, sprawled out on the ground and coughing; he was trying to regain composure, something Naruto couldn't let happen.

"Tell me who you are!" He screamed. "Tell me who you _REALLY _are!" He bent over Ichigo's body, using his Sage strength to hold him down by the arms. Taking his grip away momentarily, he sent another heavy blow to Ichigo. This time it hit his stomach. Ichigo convulsed, wanting to curl up and hold his stomach, but was once again held down.

"Why…w-why are you doing this?" Was the only response he could give before turning his head to the side and coughing up blood.

Naruto scoffed. There was an unfamiliar glaze to those froggy eyes of his; catlike, creepy. "You LIE! You always LIE!" He brought one hand up to Ichigo's throat, turning his head to force the shinigami to look at him. "Tell me the truth! Why are you here? What's your purpose? What are you hiding?"

Naruto watched as Ichigo narrowed his eyes in contempt, something that was noticed far too late. The one leg Naruto failed to hold down came straight up and kicked him in the crotch. Pure agony. The shinobi coughed and fell to his side, his face twisted. This time it was Ichigo's turn to stand over him.

"I have no lies! I've told your people everything!" Of course, that in itself was a lie. There was one thing, the very thing Naruto could see, that Ichigo was hiding. Something even he was afraid of, still. "Why are you attacking _me_? I'm an ally, a friend!" Ichigo used a sigh to vent out his again and slowly stood up, walking away from Naruto. He wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.

"You m-may be an al-lly," he mumbled quietly, "but you will never be my friend."

xXx

**Author's Note:**

Woooooo! I loved writing this chapter. I had been anticipating a fight between Naruto and Ichigo forever. Now I finally got to write it! Plus I actually used Naruto's perspective for once, which I don't do often even though this is based off of Naruto's world...haha... I might be putting up a poll soon. I know this isn't a romance-based fanfiction, but I understand that most fans like to read that sort of stuff included with the action and adventure. So I was thinking I could put up a poll, see what you guys think about who Ichigo should end up with. Anyways, just tell me in your REVIEW, and I might do it by the next chapter.

Adios amigos!


	14. Trouble at the Summit

**Disclaimer: **As much as I would like to, I don't own Naruto or Bleach, or the characters affiliated. Those rightfully belong to their respective authors… Oh poo. No money for me! 'Cause I don't profit off of this.

xXx

( ? : Location Unknown )

Kyomu was a brilliant man, but he was equally paranoid as he was intelligent. Lately Konoha shinobi had been snooping around the forests near his lab, his home. He couldn't have that, they would undoubtedly ruin all of his plans if they got wind that the old well in the woods was really an entrance to one of Orochimaru's old bases. Nonetheless, the most he could do to solve the issue was send wolves out to stalk and trace the ninja, intentionally distracting them if they got too close to the truth. He couldn't have anyone sneaking around, which would go against everything he worked for: that would go against Kabuto.

Thus he silently worked on his remedies, trying to find a way to keep Kabuto, well, _Kabuto_. There was no doubt in his mind that Orochimaru's power would slowly take over the shinobi, ingesting him until he lost control. It was Kyomu's job to prevent that with various medicines and Justus, most of which were forbidden.

There was a knock at his door, and Kyomu quietly set down his most recent concoction, arose from his chair, and hurried over the clay floors and to the door. On the other side was none other than one of his wolves, the Alpha of the pack. This time he looked in good condition, healthy and clean. Which was a very positive sign that all was well out in the trees and vast loneliness around them. Kyomu smiled, holding the door open wide so the Alpha could paw in, followed by the Beta.

"Ah, how are you my good friends?" He kindly said, watching them sniff at the musty air in his room quietly. His eyebrow twitched, but he quickly covered up how uncomfortable he felt. This little "meeting" felt more like an intrusion of his privacy; his home. Nonetheless, he sucked it up. He may have control over the wolves, but that didn't stop them from hurting him like they did so many others.

They didn't look at all happy like Kyomu was. "How much longer is this going to take?" The Beta chirped, looking severely displeased.

Alpha silenced her with one look, turning his golden eyes back to Kyomu. "I think what Beta means to say is that we're curious to know how the search is going. Have you found out anything about the Orange One?"

"The _Orange One_?" Kyomu repeated at first confused, but a sudden light popped on over his head and he smiled. "Ah, you wolves and your peculiar language. By Orange one you must mean the orange-haired person from earlier. The one that fought your pack." He held up a finger happily, raising an eyebrow as he pointed to a cabinet behind various tables of beakers and test tubes. He shuffled over to the cabinet, ruffling through it as he continued, "I've never seen anything like this before. This person is definitely not a shinobi, yet we have no record on what he could be… At first I thought perhaps he's part of the Seven Swordsmen, a rejected member or something." He slammed the cabinet shut, running to an empty desk in the corner. The wolves trailed behind him. "But NO! Alas, that was not the solution. In history, rejected members are always killed. Always. If he was one, he would not be living. Much less hiding out with a Konoha kunoichi." He shrugged.

All this talking was getting to the wolves, who liked to get straight to the point. Alpha sighed, grinding his jaw. "Well…?" He asked.

Kyomu believed his inconsistent ramblings could hold them long enough to keep them from the truth. But it appeared that was not the case. His face fell as he collapsed into a chair, holding his head in his open palms. "I've found nothing. I have not a clue who or what this person is."

At the precise moment the wolves tensed, ready to pounce on him and vent out their anger, he popped right back out of his chair looking astounded. "But wait!" He called happily, pacing around the room. "He was with a Leaf nin! Meaning he's currently living and/or situated in Konoha! Brilliant!" He quickly turned to the Alpha wolf. "You! My good friend, you and your pack must draw suspicion to the base on your next scouting. Make sure they're from Konoha before you catch their attention. "He then thrust his attention to the Beta, whose surprise caused her to take unstable steps backwards. "And you must gather your swiftest and strongest females to take on no more than four of the nin. Bring them here, to me, unconscious. I will do the rest. Ah, but don't tell Kabuto. He would not approve."

Kyomu gave no more answers. He merely sang and skipped along his lab, switching his dirty, slimy lab coat out for a clean, fresh one. He didn't want to look disgusting; after all, he'd be having guests over soon.

xXx

( Border of Konohagakure )

Their mission was short and easy. The four finished their task and returned to Konoha in peace, unknown that they had been watched. That little fact never crossed their mind, for even Hinata's Byakugan could've never interpreted the truth about the animals that followed them. Like most animals, they seemed harmless, and she didn't think announcing the presence of wolves to her comrades would make any difference.

They arrived back in Konohagakure in record time. Hinata half-expected to run into Ichigo along the way, but alas they did not. It was comforting to know they didn't, because that meant he'd found his way to Naruto. No doubt they were probably making amends right then and there, a thought that warmed Hinata's soft heart. Ino, on the other hand, was severely disappointed. Why was it that whenever an attractive man came to town she only had a few minutes to speak with him? Everyone noted the sour mood she seemed to be in once Ichigo left the group, and no matter how many times Choji tried to comfort her with snack she would not lighten up.

Things didn't change for Ino, if anything, they got worse. As soon as they were back home they got wind of some very bad news. Before they knew it Ino was sitting on a pile of wood, bawling. Even Shikamaru felt his heart fall at her despair, nonetheless they had business.

"Quit crying, Ino!" Kiba suddenly called out, backed up by Akamaru. It didn't feel right when a woman cried. It was not only disheartening, but perhaps a little shameful.

Tenten was aghast with his behavior. "_Kiba_?" She punched him on the shoulder and retreated to Ino's side, taking a seat to her right while Choji was on her left.

"If Ino's like this, than Sakura and Naruto will surely…"

Neji shook his head, looking to Shikamaru quickly. "Let Shikamaru deal with this," he told the others,"he will be able to explain. Besides, he failed his first duty as team leader. He must feel some responsibility for this."

Indeed, Shikamaru did feel some responsibility for it. He was the leader on both missions to retrieve Sasuke, and both had gone so wrong in so many ways. It was a permanent stain on not only his record and his life, but his friendships. He felt like an utter disappointment. Of course, the laidback Shikamaru didn't let his friends in on his feelings. He remained cold and straight-to-the-point. That much was evident when he barely even glanced Rukia's way as she approached the group, pretending like he didn't care.

Rukia was just now starting to understand what was happening in this world. The Elemental Nations were not at all how she studied them in the Academy. In her textbooks and lectures the Nations seemed beautiful, albeit filled with disagreements. Any mention of war was hardly ever made. But now that she was actually there, there were so many things wrong with the place. Especially since (from what she heard) they were all on the brink of warfare with one another.

Rukia was greeted by Hinata. "Hello Rukia." She smiled sheepishly, introducing Rukia to the others and vice versa. Ino gave a sad snort in response, most likely a 'hi'. It sounded more like she was dying.

"You know," Rukia said, her hands behind her back, "I heard some of what you're talking about, and…" It felt awkward, telling them what she thought. But It was important, she felt like she held crucial input on the matter. "I've met both Sakura and Naruto, and I think they'll be fine. You too, Ino." That was enough to catch a hesitant but thankful look from the blond female.

"You're all strong."

xXx

( Konoha : Tsunade's Tent )

Shikamaru didn't stay with the group. He believed what Rukia had to say, and agreed that they were all strong. But of course, everyone had their own way of dealing with grief. Right then he could tell that Sakura's way was bottling it up. Not only that, but whenever she had sadness, what Sai had to say was true. She and so many others relied on Naruto, whose promises could always lighten a heart.

"We need to do something ourselves, instead of always relying on him." Sai murmured.

Shikamaru had been waiting outside long enough. He held the ten open and stepped in, saying, "Sai's right." He glanced over their faces, Shizune, Sai, and Sakura. Sakura's face was the only one he couldn't see, it was pointed down to the floor. "We're not kids anymore, we will stop the Akatsuki and-"

"We will stop Sasuke." Sakura interjected sadly. It was hard for her to handle, but somehow she managed to say those four words, that one name, that was potent enough to change the whole mood in the room.

The Chuunin nodded. "I'm here to get permission from Team 7." Shikamaru said, and continued with a long explanation about a cycle of killing and war. If Sakura was to go out and get herself killed all to avenge Sasuke, Naruto and the others would be enraged and want revenge. And if they others rushed out into battled and died themselves, even more people (parents, sensei) would boil over in rage and seek vengeance. It was bad, and it needed to come to an end. Together they had to stop Sasuke, because if they didn't do it they would want to hurt those that actually did.

"That's why I've come to get your permission, Sakura," he told her, taking a hesitant step forward. All eyes were on her, waiting. She said nothing, merely kept her head down. "Sakura…?"

Teardrops fell to the floor. "Please, please don't say anything more." She took a hard breath in, slowly turning her head up. "Let me talk to Naruto. The fool's in love with me."

xXx

( Land of Iron )

"…_but you will never be my friend."_

It was hard to hear, but completely justified. Naruto truly hated Ichigo, and although that didn't make him the first it still hurt. He clenched his jaw, reaching out a hand to help. "Hey, I'm sorry about what I said, just…" He mumbled.

Rejected. Naruto turned to face the other way in the snow. "Just go away."

Ouch. That was harsh. Ichigo felt obligated to do as Naruto said. Until the ninja felt better, there really wasn't anything he could do. Thus he retreated inside the building, walking straight past the owner (who was angry at all the commotion he had heard, and at the same time confused by how Ichigo managed to get to the first floor without him seeing) and up the stairs. He arrived back to the room in time, making sure to grab Zangetsu and strap him to his back.

Silently he strode over to the gaping hole in the wall, now framed with snow from the outside. He looked towards the ground, and _expected _to see Naruto lying in the snow still. Unfortunately, that wasn't it at all. All he saw was a dent in the snow where Naruto _was_. No body. No Naruto. Ichigo could only curse, his fingers lingering over Zangetsu's handle.

There were two possibilities: Naruto could have run away to somewhere quieter, somewhere to think. Or, he was stalking Ichigo, waiting for a prime moment to strike. Both were reasonable, but only one seemed likely. After being kicked in the balls, it was likely it was the latter. Ichigo knew that he would react offensively if he was in Naruto's position… But just what would he do? _How would I attack? _He thought to himself, eyes widening with the realization. At a muddy speed he looked up to the ceiling.

_Bingo_.

Naruto, in complete control of his Sage Mode, let go of his grip on the ceiling and fell towards Ichigo. An obvious entrance, yes, but still extremely potent. Ichigo blocked his punch (later identified as Rasengan) with Zangetsu, the combined strength of their willpower pushing against each other. It held for a brief flash of light before they were both thrown backwards. This time it was Naruto who fell through the hole, and Ichigo who watched.

Naruto's body poofed. Vanished. That alone put Ichigo on edge, for it meant he was hiding again. _This room is too small to fight in, _Ichigo thought as he leaped through the hole and back into the snow. His grip on Zangetsu tightened.

He circled in the snow, turning to look all around him. He only had one pair of eyes, and from what Sakura told him he could have a ton. A flash of orange to his right caught his attention and he turned, just in time to slice through yet another clone that poofed away into ether. Ichigo smiled, "I think I'm getting the hang o-"

Something hard and round cut into his back, giving him the feeling that it was tearing up his skin. The pain was intense, and he fell forward with a rough grunt. Clutching at the snow, clutching at anything to give him some stability. What was that? It made him feel weak, and badly injured. He could even feel his warm lifeblood run down his back. This wasn't working. He couldn't fight a ninja, their Chakra was too strong. But he had to try.

Naruto's foot came up and planted itself on his soaking back, unceremoniously pushing him deeper into the cold snow. "Like the taste of my Rasengan?" He mused, his voice laced with an unrecognizable malice. What happened to the forgiving Naruto Sakura praised so much? Where did he go?

He was pushed harder, and if it wasn't for his determination his legs and arms would have given out. 'N-not really," Ichigo murmured as he struggled under Naruto's foot. The Sage strength was unbelievable, but he had seen better. He used the majority of his strength to swing out from under the weight and at the same time swing Zangetsu's blade at Naruto. Once again, he poofed. "Why don't you fight me like a _real _man! FACE ME!" Ichigo screeched. He was annoyed, pissed even.

Five clones all appeared in front of him. "Now it's your turn to taste my blade," Ichigo retorted. He didn't allow the clones anytime to react, in one swift motion he swung Zangetsu, cutting through the air and sending a wave of blade-like Reiatsu their way. "**Getsuga Tenshou**!"

All except for one clone poofed, and the one that just barely missed the wave by jumping out of the way. Still, Ichigo was proud by the fact that he'd managed to graze Naruto's side, leaving a nice long cut. Payback was a bitch.

The two were both fuming, now forehead to forehead as they circled around each other. Who would make the next move? Who would attack first?

"Nice toy sword," Naruto hissed.

"Nice makeup," Ichigo countered.

They were both tense, adrenaline pumped and ready. Ichigo had long since forgotten about being friends with Naruto. That suggestion seemed completely out of the question. He refused to cooperate if Naruto wouldn't. Childish as it may be, the fact of the matter was he only wanted to help, and Naruto wouldn't let him.

A flash of blinding light erupted between them, and thinking it was Naruto's next attack Ichigo jumped backwards. Naruto also believed it was Ichigo's move and bounded away. Neither of them knew that they hadn't attacked, thus both took the offensive. Stumbling and unable to see, they both swung forward; Ichigo with Zangetsu, and Naruto with his Rasengan.

"Play nice." They were two words that beheld so much meaning when they came from Hatake Kakashi. With one hand he clutched Naruto's wrist, and the other he pulled out a kunai to deflect Ichigo's weapon.

Naruto's eyes widened. "Ah! Kakashi-sensei!" Sage Mode evaporated like water on hot pavement. Ichigo, on the other hand, remained as defensive and tense before. Only instead of holding Zangetsu out like a bumbling idiot he wrapped it up on his back.

Kakashi did not look pleased, to say the least. "I leave for five minutes, _five minutes_, and you almost kill each ot-" He stopped short when he looked up to the second floor. "And destroyed the Inn?" His eyes shot back to Naruto, likely blaming him for all of this –which, if you thought about it, was true.

Approaching from behind was Yamamoto, also looking disappointed. He passed right by the ground and into the building, saying, "I'll go pay for this," while gesturing to the gaping whole in the second story.

Ten minutes later, Ichigo and Naruto found themselves in a new room, both leaning against the wall and glaring at the other. In a lot of ways, they were the same person. That was something Kakashi and Yamamoto had learned the hard way, now having to pay a hefty fine so the Inn owner could repair the wall. This was not what they expected when they thought about going to confront the Raikage. Of course it could have all made sense to them if there were there, watching the malicious looks that passed between the two teens rather than negotiating a deal with the Inn Owner.

In fact, they were so absorbed in themselves they never noticed how the window suddenly opened, or how cold it became in the room. Little things like that went by unseen. It was, admittedly, a little disgraceful considering Naruto was a ninja and Ichigo was supposed to see spirits. Sooner or later, they were doomed to notice, or at least Ichigo was. The pain in his side (unbeknownst to him his ribs were broken) spiked and he took his eyes away and clutched at his abdomen. He sucked up any impish noises, decidedly proving to Naruto that he was stronger.

That of course, was derailed when he finally spotted the figure in the window.

"Shall we have a little chat, Uzumaki Naruto?"

xXx

( Kage Summit )

Boring. All Renji saw in the Summit was a bunch of bull; boring politics that he didn't really care to listen to. Besides, he didn't feel any of the Kage's deserved his attention, after all the mistakes they'd made. They were so silly! They did things like paying the Akatsuki, accusing each other of it and denying it if it was true. Shinobi were so petty, and there was no doubt in his mind that the Samurai were thinking the exact same thing: When would this thing be over?

The Reiatsu was perhaps the only thing he could focus on. It was something else to listen to, rather than a stubborn old man, an obnoxious body builder, and a suspicious figure who spoke _too _politely. Why couldn't those people take after Gaara and the Mizukage, deal with their issues like adults? Ah, well, it wasn't Renji's problem. Oh no, his problem was way out there in the distance, far away from where he was.

He found that his eyes would slowly drift towards the Reiatsu, but to the Samurais it looked like he was plotting. Quickly he would redirect his attention to the Summit, but let's face it, that never lasted. Everything they had to say was of no interest to him and it didn't involve him. These matters were matters for ninja, the matters shinigami dealt with were much more important in the big picture of life.

He itched to get a move on the Hollow. It was so close, yet so far away. Renji thirsted for some action; to slice his blade right through its mask. Yet he was confined to the Summit. Leaving would draw suspicion, and he highly doubted they would let him leave in the first place. Even if he looked to the door they'd prosecute him. He couldn't just walk out on something so important like the Kage Summit.

Or could he?

Perhaps it was fate or a random stroke of luck, but something happened that allotted him the perfect opportunity to escape. He felt it before anyone else did. This aura felt like a Hollow, too, but at the same time it _wasn't_. Hollows can't hide themselves as well as this thing could. The source of the Hollowfied power popped right into the center of the Summit, in the form of a skeletal white male. Renji smiled. If that thing wasn't evil, he would definitely track it down and thank it.

While the others were distracted with their new friend, Renji's tall frame slipped right under the Samurai's noses and through the door. On the way out he caught Gaara's eye, and both teens knew what Renji was to do. After all, Renji _did _warn him earlier. Thus he exited the building right as he heard a resounding boom, no doubt the Raikage taking the offensive. That man was just too…_jumpy_.

It felt good to be free from the Summit, and Renji practically soared towards the Reiatsu. The feeling of the wind on his face was magical and invigorating. Renji couldn't wait until he finally got to bust some Hollow skull.

xXx

It all happened too fast. It was all just one swirl of activity. First Ichigo heard the voice, one that sent chills up his spine. Not a moment too late did Naruto take the offensive, but was stopped by Kakashi and Yamamoto. Before they knew it, Naruto was away in a hidden box, Madara was wrapped up in wood, and there was a gaping hole in the _roof_.

Of course Ichigo didn't know who Madara was. He had heard things, no doubt about the Akatsuki and their members, but nothing about their ultimate leader; their plotting mastermind. Nonetheless it was obvious Madara held some importance. For he acted as if being encased in wood was no big deal, as if he'd be able to get himself out of it in a cinch. Almost like none of this mattered to him because he could not be harmed. Then perhaps he wasn't even there? Maybe he wasn't even real! Though incompetent thoughts like those were quickly dropped on Ichigo's part, a person simply wasn't _there _or _not real_. Everybody always had a place.

Madara looked over the eyes of everyone, including Ichigo. He had to admit, he was intrigued by Ichigo, for his keen eye could tell that Ichigo was not a ninja, probably not even from around there. In fact, for reasons unknown Madara already knew who Ichigo was, thus he knew that at the present moment, shinigami didn't prove a very big threat. Instead of consulting Ichigo like a stranger, he revealed his knowledge by simply smiling and moving on.

A grueling explanation ensued, one that Ichigo knew Naruto probably didn't want to hear. Several names were uttered, but only a few could Ichigo understand. Nonetheless he put together the pieces about Itachi and Sasuke. Two brothers with one seriously screwed up childhood. Ichigo almost felt bad for them, almost…

Everybody was in shock, even Yamamoto who Ichigo hadn't so much as seen an eyebrow twitch from. Madara confirmed their suspicions that he was telling the truth by saying, "That's the truth about Uchiha Itachi. He died for Sasuke, and for Konoha." His voice was slow and melodic, but still as creepy as ever.

The "discussion" escalated to a point where Naruto was holding onto the wooden bars for dear life, indents could clearly be seen once he loosened his grip. And the reason for all of this emotion? Madara had begun on a topic that even Ichigo could feel taboo. The way the air changed signaled both importance and danger. Madara concisely stated that Sasuke was a "true avenger", not taken lightly by Naruto, who didn't believe what Madara said.

Ichigo, on the other hand, believed it. After everything he had heard about Sasuke, he didn't like what he pictured in his mind. Granted he didn't know the whole story, about what a good friend he had managed to become before turning dark, but he still believed fully that what he imagined was right: a cold-hearted teen with a thirst for vengeance. Why else would he desire to destroy the very town that raised him? All in all, Sasuke was the one thing Ichigo never wanted to become: consumed by darkness. The shinigami couldn't help but clench his jaw, knowing that if his Hollow ever gained full control, he could become as bad or even worse as Uchiha Sasuke.

What a cold, cold being.

To harm Sakura like he did! Ichigo still remembered their little conversation and her revealing tears. It was hard to watch, and it acted in painting an even darker picture of Sasuke in his head. Even worse was to think that Sasuke and Naruto were destined to fight each other, as Madara put it. To once and for all end the conflict between the Uchiha and the Senju clans.

It seemed the Elemental Nations had a long history that Ichigo didn't know about, and Rukia only had so much time to teach him. Even so, there were holes in their knowledge. It was like everything they knew about it was a block of swiss cheese; patches of information was missing. Thus, if he stuck with Naruto in Konoha, he could learn a lot, perhaps even educate his fellow shinigami as soon as he returned home –no doubt it would be a preferred task for Rukia, who'd appreciate the chance to draw some more "sketches".

Quickly Ichigo turned back to Madara, whose last words consisted of something so incomprehensible that everyone seemed stumped. Just what did that malicious man mean when he wanted to become whole? Maybe Ichigo's earlier theory was right…maybe Madara _wasn't _whole.

But how could they fight something, or _someone_, that wasn't _whole_?

**Author's Note**!

Howdy! Sorry the end of this chapter wasn't so good. I typed out something better in bullet notation, but I couldn't understand what it meant. So I just ended it somewhere I knew wouldn't be confusing, with a very brainstorm-y sentence. Try thinking about it, and maybe even tell you how someone could beat Madara. 'Cause I sure as hell don't know.

Anyways, I was in a hurry to get this chapter out so I could start writing the next one. Sorry if there are any errors. I just don't have time to tediously edit 10 pages. Also, what do you think Renji will encounter? An actual Hollow, or something else? I was trying to make it inconspicuous.

Anyways, Sayounara!


	15. Truths Part 1

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own Naruto or Bleach, but I wish I had some affiliation with it. Just imagine how rich Kubo and Kishimoto are! Whoooey~_

_This chapter is a lot of re-iteration. The parts you already know just feel free to skim through. The most important things are the little things I've embedded in the actual Naruto plotline. But for the most part, this chapter is fairly un-original. Just a fair warning!_

xXx

( Karakura Town )

It had been a morning like any other. Karin and Yuzu were downstairs with their breakfast, mocking their older brother as he stumbled out the door. Ever since that night he came home battered and bloodied up, both sisters had been worried. However, it was a good thing to see him get back into cycle, especially since Rukia wasn't there anymore.

Ah…Yuzu missed Rukia. Nonetheless both girls put on a happy face for the sake of Isshin, their father, who was perhaps the most distraught about her leaving and Ichigo's strange behavior.

They had to admit it felt weird watching him leave the house, alone. Still they acted like normal, Karin with an appreciative snort and Yuzu a gentle wave of the hand. They never expected things to turn out like they did that day. Coming home from school they had waited patiently for their brother, Yuzu wanting to know what he wanted to eat for dinner and Karin just to give him a bad time, but they ended up waiting far too long.

Ichigo never came home.

A whole day had passed where Ichigo did not return. The whole Kurosaki family was worried, and once they inquired with the school they knew that he never went there either. That morning when he left in such a rush…was he hiding something? Yuzu refused to believe that her older brother got into trouble. Karin and Isshin, on the other hand, both had their suspicions.

News traveled fast, and the first people to know of Ichigo's disappearance were none other than his closest friends, who each grew especially worried as the hours passed and they still hadn't heard a word. All of his friends were confused, but only three understood the danger of the situation. Tatsuki, Keigo, and Kojima were all unaware of Ichigo's special circumstances; but the same could not be said for Orihime, Chad and Ishida.

Rather than eating their lunches on the roof, the three took a more private a scenic route for midday. In other words, they left school. It was too risky to talk about Soul Society there, where anyone could stumble over and eavesdrop on them. Out in public, where people were talking a mile a minute was the only true safe place. They walked into town, the notion of eating lunch forgotten.

"It doesn't make any sense!" Ishida grumbled, throwing his head back violently. He was increasingly confused, nothing made sense. They had been to talk to Ichigo's family, and they too had not a clue what was going on. The loose facts just didn't add up. As far as they knew, Ichigo wasn't depressed, or in any trouble. He was just stuck in a self-loathing rut ever since they came back from Soul Society badly injured.

Orihime dainty hands clasped near her heart. "I hope Kurosaki-kun is all right…" She murmured. Chad and Ishida nodded their heads in agreement. Everybody was hoping for the best.

Walking and talking about the situation was not enough for the three. Oh, no, they wanted closure and they wanted to help. Ishida was the first to jumpstart the notion of finding Ichigo in their minds when he loudly expressed his desire to be able to do something about the situation. They had helped Ichigo out once before, and no matter how dangerous it was they were willing to do it again. All three made eye-contact, instantaneously thinking the same thing. '_We've got to go to Urahara's_'.

Hat n' Clogs, as Ichigo so unceremoniously would call him, was well connected with the shinigami world, and there was no doubt in their minds that he would know what to do. They found themselves perched on the steps of his little shop, ignoring the eyes of two children. Harsh footsteps on the other side could be heard, until they stopped. None other than Urahara Kisuke thrust the door open, smirking madly at the three before him. He hadn't got this much business since…well…_ever_!

"What can I do ya for?" He asked, ushering the teens inside with his arm. He sent a scheming look to his two young helpers from over three sets of shoulders. He would try and sell these kids something to the best of his abilities.

Ishida ran a hand through his hair. "No, we're not here to shop. We're here for answers." Urahara looked perplexed at this, feigning innocence when in reality he knew just what they were talking about.

"We want to know where Ichigo is." Chad spoke up.

Urahara smiled politely, clapping his hands together. "Ah! Well, I'm afraid you don't know my current status with those shinigami, so let me rephrase. Banished. Kicked out. Never to return. Ring any bells? I don't know why you think _I _would know about Kurosaki Ichigo's mysterious disappearance." It was a lie. Of course he knew, he just wasn't in the mood to get three teenagers involved. Soul Society had enough to worry about.

But the look on their faces was so desperate…so needy…perhaps giving up a little information wasn't so bad? Urahara nodded to himself, for he was always right, and led the others into another room. Yoruichi was living in the shop with him and the others, and if she knew the teens were here it was likely she'd try and wrangle them into another dangerous and expensive adventure.

Once they were all settled around a table, Urahara let his façade of happiness drop. He looked solemn, for the first thing he could think to say was perhaps the saddest thing Ichigo's friends would ever hear. "Kurosaki Ichigo is at, this current moment, presumed dead." It was not wise for Urahara to say that, yet he had no other way. But that didn't stop Orihime's eyes from watering, or Chad and Ishida to clench their fists and be stricken with grief. If Orihime sniffled any louder, Yoruichi was sure to hear…

"Ah! No! Chotto! It's not like that, you see…" He corrected himself with his hands raised like a criminal. That caught their attention. "He's not necessarily dead. His Reiatsu is just…_missing_. In fact, he's not the only one to have gone missing. Kuchiki Rukia and Abarai Renji are also missing, as a matter of fact. Even Kon is gone."

Ishida quirked a brow. "What are you saying…?"

Clenching his jaw, he leaned into the table further, straining his voice to a hushed slur. "It's all the work of Jiryokou, a Hollow Soul Society hasn't been able to nab for years." He leisurely leaned back again, looking as lazy as ever. "The entire thing is the Hollow's fault, really. Ichigo and the others probably felt like they needed to be the hero and tried to fight him, when in reality the only person strong enough would be Yamamoto-taichou." He shrugged nonchalantly.

The only one who seemed to glow with the news was Orihime. "So Kurosaki-kun is still alive?" She boasted.

"Yes my dear, he probably is." Still with that pesky smile of his one he continued to lay on the bad news. "But not for long. No shinigami has ever survived Jiryokou's power. It's said he takes them to a place where they're weak, a place they can't really fight back in. Shinigami and hollows alike avoid this place, because it's the only place where they're not on equal ground I guess…" He saw their confusion on their faces. Each and every last one of them, even the two children whom he knew were listening on the other side of the door, wanted to know how he knew this. Urahara sighed, "Jiryokou talks a little too much when he fights, alright?"

"Then it's settled! We have to find Ichigo before it's too late!" Ishida said, a determined fist slammed down on the table. "We need to rescue them. If we find Jiryokou, then we can definitely find Ichigo, Rukia, Renji and Kon."

A plan to save Ichigo and the others? It was a noble thought, but Urahara knew it was impossible. Following Jiryokou to wherever he disappeared to (the same place Urahara suspected he dumped his victims) was impossible; though he failed to mention that to the three before him. They would learn soon enough…

xXx

( Soul Society: Seireitei: Captains' Assembly Hall )

Not many shinigami took Yamamoto's authorization kindly. Even Byakuya, who usually kept a level head about political situations, was barking crazy at the notion of killing Jiryokou off. Nonetheless it had to be done, and Yamamoto wouldn't take much more of the harassment he was getting. If they didn't like his decree, they would just have to live with it. He was determined not to change it.

"You can't just kill Jiryokou! He has m-"

"ENOUGH!" Yamamoto bellowed, taking a step down from his seat. The only other person in the Hall with him was as angry as everyone else who was personally involved with Jiryokou's victims. "This is the second time I've had to yell to end a conversation, Isshin. If you so much as continue on this topic I will have all connections with you severed. You hear me? This would be the end!" He shook a wrinkly fist in the male's direction.

Isshin, looking nothing like the quirky father his children knew, was dressed in the classic shinigami wear and Zanpakutou. Rather than the crazy, fun-loving persona he usually took on he was serious and distraught. With such a face, it was likely his own children wouldn't recognize him. He looked oddly handsome and strong, but at the same time weak. He couldn't bear to have his only son killed.

"Jiryokou has Ichigo! _My son_!" Isshin pleaded.

Yamamoto was not affected. "You should have thought of that before you consorted with the human woman. Or better yet, before you let Jiryokou slip your grasp twenty years ago!" Hurt was visible on Isshin's face. "You've failed to do your duties as a shinigami, and because of that Jiryokou has returned stronger than ever. Loosing your son is a price to pay for the damage you've caused Soul Society."

The old man strode to the end of the hall, followed by Isshin who never ceased to deliver his reasons why Jiryokou should be left alive. Once again Yamamoto was stone cold about the situation, and unable to change his opinion. At the end of the Assembly Hall he stood by the doors, Isshin now standing on the outside of the room.

"I've heard what you have to say, and it does not change anything." Slowly he pulled the doors to a close. "Now be gone!" The doors came together with a bang.

xXx

( Kage Summit )

Things had escalated too far. The stakes were high. Even the Raikage's closest ninja were wondering about his choice of action. Heck, Gaara certainly was. He found the Raikage to be too rash. Albeit the man was a beacon of controlled strength he was still unstable and certain places. His emotions gave him away, and he let himself get too personally involved with Sasuke. Before Gaara knew it he'd seen the Raikage not only snap Zetsu's neck and cut off his own arm all in the same hour.

There were so many things Gaara wanted to say to Sasuke, but simply no time. In the middle of the trouble with Zetsu he had to remain calm, and pay attention. He noted Renji leaving, no doubt to fight whatever it is he had sensed earlier. Even though Gaara hardly knew the shinigami, he found he could trust him. A strange quality indeed. In a way Renji and Sasuke were similar; always running off. Of course Renji's reasons were good and wholesome, whereas Sasuke's were just evil and plain mad.

With Temari and Kankuro at his side they analyzed the situation closely. Despite the even balance of power between the two, near the end he looked badly beaten. Gaara saw no hope for him. His allies, the two males that had assisted him were taken down, and now he was about to go too. Gaara was tempted to let the Raikage do what he wanted, but alas, he couldn't. While thinking of Sasuke dying, Gaara could only imagine Naruto's reaction and an unleashed Jinchuriki fury. For the safety of the Elemental Nations, it seemed Gaara would need to step in.

Just in time Gaara spread his ultimate defense over Sasuke, stopping the Raikage's foot from penetrating his body and breaking him like a twig. He and the other Sand nin took part in saving the Samurai who were stuck in the crossfire of Amaterasu. Their flaming armor was ripped off.

"Stand back Samurai, this is between the shinobi," Gaara stated, walking forward towards Sasuke and the fuming Raikage until he was a good, safe distance away. They wanted to know why he saved Sasuke, and only to Temari and Kankuro the answer was simple. "Because I want to talk to Uchiha Sasuke." He answered blankly.

Gaara looked to Sasuke closely, and more specifically, he looked at his eyes. There was no hint of emotion as he said, "Your eyes are still the same." Sasuke remained unfazed. "I've realized that living for revenge won't solve anything, it's not too late for you…don't escape into your own little world, possessed by hatred." He let the thought sink in before he continued. "You won't be able to escape."

Sasuke didn't seem to understand what Gaara was getting at, for he retorted with a question. He wanted to know what there was to come back to. Indeed, when Temari and Kankuro interjected about Sasuke's new status of an International Criminal they were right. Sasuke did not have an apparent future, but he still had a life to go back to. He could end the nonsense now and return to Konoha to face his fate and his former friends. Though Gaara doubted Sasuke would consider this. Looking in those eyes…he could already tell that Uchiha Sasuke was already too absorbed. Hate was now the only thing driving him. His official source of energy was the desire to destroy.

"Sasuke, you and I are alike. We have both walked through the darkness of this world," Gaara told him, "That's why we are able to see even a sliver of light, both back then and even now." Gaara knew that making the situation personal was wrong, and he heeded his siblings' warnings, but he couldn't just stand by. The very person who saved him from darkness was burdened with the memory of Sasuke, the cost of a life lived searching for and trying to "fix" Sasuke. Gaara respected Naruto, and once upon a time he even respected Sasuke. But even so this wasn't right, and despite his diplomatic impartiality he still felt the need to try and "fix" things.

However, it seemed Sasuke didn't want to be fixed. It was truly evident he'd deserted anything good and whole when he said: "I have long since closed my eyes. My only goal is darkness."

Gaara expected that. "Yeah, I know," he said disappointedly as he and the others took a defensive stance. The fight was back on as they all fired their own jutsus to Sasuke in the hopes of taking them down. At least now Gaara could tell Naruto that he tried. It was a swirl of colors and a flash of bright lights. Dust was blown into the air, and only when it cleared could they see Sasuke, unharmed, in the midst of his own personal ultimate defense.

Susanoo was a large attack. Sasuke didn't seem to account for the environment, and Susanoo blew right through the pillars of the Kage Summit. Samurai and shinobi alike cursed at their bad luck. They were all going to be crushed if Gaara didn't do something, soon.

As the roof caved in Gaara set his sights out for protection, and saved them all by raising his sand high and forming a protective roof over their heads. _'At least I tried_,' he thought to himself, knowing that this alone would be the perfect chance for Sasuke's escape.

At least he tried.

xXx

( Land of Iron )

Madara was gone, having left as quickly as he came. Ichigo clearly felt Naruto's desire to react, and with Madara gone there were only three people he could vent to. Needless to say, Yamamoto didn't take the wooden cage down for a while. When Naruto finally gave in to his exhaustion the bars were lowered, and things seemed to simmer down.

While Naruto was perched high on the roof in concentration, Ichigo was on the snowy ground with Kakashi and Yamamoto, who seemed to be gossiping about Madara's appearance like housewives. It was astonishing, but unfortunately the unlikely situation ended sooner than he expected and they were back to being "manly", Kakashi reading his pervy books, Yamamoto using his jutsu to repair the damage done on the building and Ichigo clutching his injured ribs. All in all it was a very uneventful few minutes, and Ichigo spent it stalking on the ground. He paced back and forth, putting the pieces back together in his head. Making sense of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura's past with each other took a lot more brainpower than he expected. Thus he failed to notice the approach of one particularly familiar Chakra signature. Fiery and slightly obnoxious, it could only be one person.

She arrived with three other people, and Ichigo was not suspicious that all three were men. In fact, Ichigo didn't even care about those men. His eyes seemed to be glued to her, and only her. Why? He had no clue. He was flabbergasted at his own peculiar behavior and made an attempt to hide it by briskly waving. The fact that his wave looked more like his hand having a seizure didn't seem to bother Sakura or the three others. The pain in his side seemed to ebb away.

"Why are all of you here?" Kakashi seemed to ask, striding right past Ichigo and to the group. His words went unheard by the shinigami, his ears were attuned to Sakura's voice, waiting for her to say something. He couldn't describe it, but ever since he left in search of Naruto and was attacked with so many questions by Ino, he'd felt weird. It was like he was off-balance, and he couldn't explain it.

When they made eye-contact Ichigo felt his body stiffen. He presumed this to be left over anger from their first opinions of each other. He was still under the impression that he disliked her, and even if he knew that wasn't the case he wouldn't acknowledge anything but. Still, he couldn't control his reactions. Her eyes found their way to the blood on the side of his hakama, and he couldn't tell if she was worried or amused.

"What happened?" Sakura asked as she approached Ichigo, gesturing to his side.

He waved her comment off. "It's nothing," he lied. He lie was almost believable, if it hadn't been for Sakura. While he was busy looking back towards her three friends –two he recognized as Sai and Kiba- she took the liberty of jabbing him at the center of his pain: his ribcage. He gasped, short of breath, and bent over to help ease the pain. "Un…fair…" He breathed.

"_Life_ is unfair." She murmured, looking at his side skeptically. In the end she sighed, gently pushing him over to the building. "Sit down somewhere, we need to get this patched up."

Ichigo obliged, still in too much pain to say anything. He knew it would heal faster since he was in his Shikai, but that didn't stop it from hurting. He stepped to the side of the building where a bench was located, right below the whole in the wall. Sakura seemed to notice it, and when she looked to Ichigo for answers he merely shook his head as if to say 'Don't ask.' Divulging about his fight with Naruto wouldn't make the situation any easier. He already felt awkward, why make it any worse?

Kakashi and the others seemed to give Sakura space as she knelt in the ground, holding her hands out in the air right above his injury and performing the medical ninjusu necessary to heal Ichigo. "So how did this happen?" She asked, glancing to Ichigo curiously. She noticed his momentary look towards the wrecked roof and wall of the building and nodded. "I see…" Needless to say, she wasn't very impressed.

Ichigo wanted to say something, but didn't know what. To be completely honest, the close proximity was hard to ignore, and anything he could have said would have come out an incomprehensibly slur. He didn't want to incriminate himself, and thus kept his mouth shut.

"There you are finally!" A voice called out. Ichigo trailed the sound with his eyes, seeing it was none other than Kiba. He had already met Kiba, and knew that he didn't like him. Hearing the "strawberry" joke so many times automatically signals out anyone who uses it as an enemy. Kiba's voice was directed to the roof, where Naruto was. In a brief motion the Jinchuriki slid right off the roof landing on his feet. Ichigo felt Sakura's jutsu tense up, as if she was expecting something.

Soon enough Sakura was done and standing up, facing the others. She wrung a single glove in both her hands nervously. "Naruto, we have to talk." She said. Evidently it was something important.

Ichigo didn't like the way things were going, it felt too weird. He got up, albeit slowly, from the bench. The mood felt serious, like someone was going to give a confession. Ichigo couldn't help but feel that it was Sakura. She was the one who looked the most suspicious, the most nervous. She let the anticipation of the moment, and any silence didn't help for Ichigo, who was right behind her and couldn't see her face.

"Naruto…I love you."

Three words that Ichigo, as well as Yamamoto or Lee never expected to heard. Their faces clearly distinguished surprise. Or at least that's how Ichigo's was at first. It slowly changed, forcibly morphed into something lighter, something less-obvious. Instead his hesitant eyes flickered from Naruto to Sakura and back again. Did Naruto expect that? What was he thinking? Or better yet, what the hell was _Sakura_ thinking? She told Ichigo that Naruto was like a brother!

"What? What did you just say? I dunno if I heard you wrong…can you say it…again?" Confessions were confusing little buggers, that much was for sure. Not only was Ichigo confused, but he was hoping that Naruto _did _hear it wrong. That they all misunderstood her and they could laugh about this later.

"What I said Naruto, is that I love you."

Nope, that was definitely not a misunderstanding. Ichigo turned his eyes elsewhere to his feet, the only sight that couldn't deceive him. With his ears he listened closely and dishearteningly as she continued.

"I'm saying there's nothing between me and Sasuke anymore! I don't know what I was thinking, liking a person like that." She told them shakily. The surprise didn't seem to go away, and when all that followed was silence she briefly barked, "I'm confessing my feelings here, so _listen up_."

Naruto's face slowly changed from shocked to displeased. He almost looked _angry_. "But how…why?" He asked, the same questions that were running through Ichigo's head. "If you tell a joke in a situation like this, it isn't funny, Sakura-chan." A joke! Oh! How much Ichigo would have welcomed this as a joke!

"It's not a joke!" She countered like the mere notion of it being a joke was blasphemy. "I just realized there's no sense in continuing to like someone who's a fugitive _and _a criminal. I can't stay a kid forever…I need to face reality."

It almost felt like Sakura was defending herself, but who needed to defend themselves during a confession? Only someone who didn't really mean what they confessed. That small thought gave Ichigo a little hope.

"So Naruto, no need to keep that promise…" She murmured. Ichigo felt this confession tied back to what she told him only hours ago, what she told him about Sasuke and how Naruto promised to bring him back. Was this what the confession was all about? She continued, "Won't you stop chasing Sasuke?"

Now he finally risked a glance up towards the back of her head. She wasn't twiddling with the glove in her hands anymore. Now both gloves were on both hands, and she looked eerily serious.

Naruto didn't believe it, either. "Did something happen, Sakura?"

"_Nothing happened_! Sasuke-kun just keeps getting further from me, but Naruto, you've always been by my side…" She slowly approached him, taking everyone by surprise when she embraced him in a hug. Of course it didn't end there. "You've encouraged me…I finally realized who you really are, Naruto; the hero who protected the village…beloved by everyone in the village. I'm just one of them."

Ichigo felt like he was intruding on their privacy even though Naruto didn't fully believe what Sakura had to say. The shinigami slowly made his way to the open doorway of the Inn, his ears still peeled to what was happening behind him.

"That mischievous little dummy I knew…little by little becoming this great, important man. That's who you are, Naruto, and I've been watching this whole time right beside you. You make me feel safe…right now, from the bottom of my heart I-"

"Give me a break, Sakura-chan!"

Ichigo froze, compelled to hear more. He swiveled to watch as Naruto took Sakura by the shoulder's and pushed her away. He was determined to show her he wasn't falling for it, it seemed. To him it was just one big joke. Did he not believe someone like Sakura could fall for him? As much as he would like to ignore it, Ichigo could see the possibilities between the two of them. Sakura continued to defend herself, but at this point it wasn't very convincing. Ichigo felt his insides lighten, a weight taken his shoulder. Why he felt this he still wasn't very sure.

Naruto looked enraged. His face was one of pure concentration; eyebrows knitted together, his eyes stone cold. To top it all off, he countered by roughly accusing her of lying. "I hate people who lie to themselves."

"People who lie to themselves?" Sakura questioned. "I'm the _only _one who knows what I'm thinking! If you don't like me, just say so. But if you're going to make up excuses-"

Naruto cleanly cut her off, "It's just weird! You and the others come all this way to tell me _something like that_? It doesn't fit! It doesn't make any sense!"

Ichigo couldn't help himself, and where it was clearly not his place he heard himself saying, "Why _did _you come all this way, Sakura?" The glare of daggers his direction silenced him.

"_All this way_?" She reiterated. "Do you think it's _easy _for a girl to confess her feelings? Of course I'd come all this way!" She learned forward, jabbing Naruto in the chest. He didn't budge. "I don't want you to go after Sasuke if it means putting yourself in danger like that! I'm here to take you back home, to Konoha!"

"That sounds like an excuse to me…"

"You don't know anything! I don't care about Sasuke anymore, so forget your promise to me!" She said, clearly annoyed. That was the second time she mentioned the promise, and the others couldn't help but feel that was the reason for this confession. She thought that distracting Naruto from Sasuke could potentially save Naruto's life.

Naruto shook his head, letting go of Sakura and taking a step back. He avoided eye contact. "This isn't about the promise. I know why Sasuke is so obsessed with revenge…the truth is…"

The truth? What truth? Unanswered questions were buzzing through everyone's minds (even Ichigo, who after the talk with Madara already knew what the truth was).Kakashi and Yamamoto were close to stepping in to stop Naruto from revealing the sticky truth to the Uchiha clan when they all froze. What was that? Naruto was the first one to glimpse it, followed by everyone behind him. Ichigo looked around, but couldn't see, at least not until he noticed the direction of what they were looking at. All eyes weren't necessarily _on_ him like he originally thought, but _behind_ him.

Ichigo turned to look off in the distance, but turned far too soon. There was a flash of gleaming metal that came slashing towards Ichigo, and he had no choice but to take Zangetsu and defend himself. The metals clashed with sparks. Only in that brief moment where their strengths pushed against each other did Ichigo get a good look at his opponent…red hair, black tattoos above the eyebrows, and a black hakama?

"_Renji? / Ichigo_?" They asked in unison.

xXx

( approx. two minutes prior )

Sakura didn't completely think things through. She knew the basis of what she was going to tell Naruto, and was in the process of going through it when they finally arrived at the Inn where Naruto was staying. Along the way a part of her was wondering if Ichigo had made it in time, and found out what Naruto was up to. To tell the truth she felt bad for sending Ichigo on that mission… It was a pointless once considering that she'd figured it out soon after he'd left. Nonetheless, she was still incredibly appreciative.

She thought she had everything planned out, but when it came time to actually say something to Naruto (whom she saw sitting on the roof concentrating) she blanked. Her eyes caught Ichigo instead. It felt like forever since she had seen him, when in reality it was only [almost] a full day. A day didn't usually matter this much to Sakura. The last person she thought this about was Sasuke, and she had to remind herself of her new "revelation" that she was about to tell Naruto, to erase Sasuke from her mind.

Ichigo, on the other hand, was hard to erase from her mind. She was still a little angry and confused about how she should feel towards him. Were they friends? Enemies? Or were the feelings tight in her chest something deeper? She didn't think the latter could be true after all the bossing around she did. But if it was true, she would merely deduce it to the face that Ichigo was new to her. Every girl was a little bit curious about the new guy, especially when he was tall and handsome. '_Oh great! Now I'm acting like Ino!' _She told herself, dreading the thought.

She did her best to steer her eyes elsewhere, somewhere that _wasn't _Ichigo. But it was hard when she noticed the bloodstain in his clothes. Blood meant an injury, and injuries could only come from fighting. For a brief moment she lost focus of her goal and rushed straight to him, determined to fix him up so that she wouldn't have any more reasons to think about him and worry.

With a fight in mind she took in her surroundings, or more likely she absorbed the damage to the Inn. She knew how boys were, especially boys that knew how to fight. It was obvious to her that Ichigo and Naruto did the damage to the Inn, which Yamamoto so graciously patched up. Still, that didn't mean she was happy. Something like a childish fight between two allies was seriously disheartening. Quickly she went back to her business, not wanting to think on that train of thought any longer than she already had.

She must have been stalling for too long, because Kiba was the one who called Naruto down. It was at that precise moment that she knew what she had to do. She focused to make Ichigo better in a shorter amount of time and then turned to the others. She faced away from Ichigo purposefully, although she didn't know it. It was her body's reaction, since her subconscious was the only part of her that knew she didn't want Ichigo to hear this, or see it. But it had to be done.

At some point she caught Ichigo walking away, and as bad as she felt about it (even though she didn't know the full reason behind his departure) she couldn't do much to solve it. She would send a brief look Ichigo's way, just to see what he thought. As if to cover that up she would look Kiba, Kakashi, Lee and Yamamoto's way as well. All over were the same responses: deadpan expressions.

Perhaps viewing the little venture as a business arrangement for political stability (aka. Saving Naruto from himself) was a bad approach. Somehow she felt like she'd done something wrong, how else could Naruto see through her acting? She had to have given it away somewhere, but as hard as she thought she could not pinpoint what it was. She thought a hug might fix things, but it didn't Naruto just ended up pushing her away.

In the end she felt angry, she felt like she needed to defend herself and her feelings. It was as if Naruto was attacking her by accusing her of turning a confession into a joke. She sure as hell wasn't joking. She could never joke about something so serious! Thus her temperament took a defiant turn near the later half of her confession. Before she knew it all she could think about was going home and forgetting it ever happened.

She was even in the process of thinking how to "excuse" herself when those around her suddenly seemed derailed. What had just happened before them was lost to them as they all focused on something behind her. At first she believed it to be Ichigo, but that was clearly not the case when she saw what was directly behind him. Storming towards them was a blur of vivid color. At first she thought it could be a rabid animal or a summons, but the closer she looked the more she realized it was a person. An _actual _person who, odd enough, was dressed almost exactly like Ichigo.

Sakura thought the pursuer might at least slow down so he wouldn't barrel into anybody, but he didn't. He continued at his frightening pace until he was right up in Ichigo's face, sword raised with a malicious grin plastered on his chin. She never thought she'd see it, but this man was actually _taller _than Ichigo. He had long red hair that was pulled back and held by a bandana of sorts. Underneath that she could see the edges of eerie black tattooing. All in all she didn't believe she could trust him, and just like so many others in their group she tensed.

But alas, being defensive was not needed. Ichigo could handle himself, it seems, and was quick to react. Though that wasn't the part that made them realize help was unneeded and unwarranted. It was the verbal recognition both males had for each other. They exclaimed the other's name loudly, questioning whether or not that person was actually there, no doubt. So it was settled; they knew each other, but Sakura and the others didn't know _how _they knew each other.

Those that knew what Ichigo really was –not a swordsman, samurai, or accomplished tokubetsu Jounin- could put two and two together. The fact that both he and this "Renji" were wearing the same clothing was a dead give away. Here in the Land of Iron was a _second _shinigami. Oh joy! They were already becoming so _accustomed _to Ichigo. Judging by all the drama, Sakura couldn't help but feel exhausted at the thought of yet another outsider.

Wasn't one enough?

xXx

**Author's Note: **Howdy y'all! Sorry for this boring chapter. I didn't like writing it for the most part, because it was all just restating what happened in the manga. But hey, I had to put important events into it. I can't veer off into my own official plot until they all return to Konoha. So for now you're just going to have to sit tight and wait as Ichigo and Sakura's relationship gets more complicated.

What are these unrecognizable feelings they're both feeling? Hehehe~ You'll find out soon (if it isn't already painstakingly obvious)

Btw, the next chapter is MUCH more original. It doesn't stay so much on the Naruto plotline. It's mostly my own stuff squeezed in. Yippee!

See ya later, Aligator. In a while, Crocodile.

Adieux! Chow! Sayounara~


	16. Truths Part 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or Bleach, but every year when I blow out my birthday candles I wish I did. Don't you?

xXx

( Land of Iron )

Of all ways to be greeted by Renji, Ichigo had the misfortune of being attacked. Of course it wasn't hard to spar against Renji, who –even after seeing it was only Ichigo- continued to slash his Zanpakutou. However nothing could beat the pleasure of seeing something familiar in the unfamiliar elemental nations and Ichigo was quick to forgive the redhead. Seeing someone he knew in the icy wasteland that was the Land of Iron made him feel oddly optimistic. Especially since, now with him here, he might just be able to forget the scene that had just unfolded before him.

Oh! But how could he forget? All the logic in his mind told him that Sakura confessing her "love" to Naruto should mean nothing, yet at the same time it meant _everything_. Ichigo was desperate to steer his thoughts in a more positive direction, and thus when his brief fight with Renji was over he unknowingly started himself up for disappointment.

"So, what are you doing here? How'd you even get here?" He asked after being roughly clapped on the shoulder by Renji. Both shinigami did their best to ignore the confused looks from the shinobi. They each felt the same way about ninja: after being with them so long, it was nice to see a familiar face and nothing could stop that.

Nevertheless, Renji was none too thrilled at answering the question. The very force that brought him there was the very object he loathed. "Jiryokou…" He mumbled, getting an understanding nod from Ichigo. They were both in the same boat.

Same boat or not, there were still matters and people to attend to. Ichigo turned towards his allies, making sure to force Renji to turn with a cruel glare. He could only assume that the shinobi weren't sure what they were seeing. Without knowing it, his eyes first turned to Sakura, who looked not only curious but grudging at the same time. It made him wonder if she did not like Renji. Sure, there were a lot of people who didn't like Renji, but Ichigo would have thought the Sakura he knew would have given him a chance.

"Everyone, this is Abarai Renji." He told them. Crickets. He gestured to Renji and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off when the shinigami smacked his hand away.

"I don't need any fancy intro, strawberry."

Ouch. No matter how peeved Ichigo may have been with that comment, he let it slid. Rudeness was just a term of endearment for Renji. It comforted Ichigo just a little to think that by saying that, he was really saying "thanks for the consideration!" Of course, that was very wishful thinking.

Strangely enough, Renji didn't seem to be in the mood for chit chat. Ichigo was briskly pulled into a sidebar away from the shinobi, who immediately began to look at each other as if one of them had the answer. At first Ichigo struggled, not wanting to appear suspicious before these people. If the difference between Chakra and Reiatsu was true, giving these people any reason to attack him was a death wish.

"Hey? What gives?" Ichigo hissed, relinquishing his right to freedom when Renji forced them both to face away.

Renji cautiously looked over his shoulder. "This is better, they shouldn't know about what we are. I think you've figured this out, but these people aren't exactly _normal, _and they're not shinigami, either." He paused briefly to lessen his grip on Ichigo. "It's best if they don't hear about our business."

Something was on Renji's mind, Ichigo could tell. The way his eyes flickered to every single space he could find, or how knitted his brow was, or even how he randomly fidgeted were dead giveaways. Luckily for Ichigo, he didn't have to wait long. Renji quickly revealed his true agenda.

"So…is Rukia here?"

He had been wondering about it ever since he saw that head of orange hair in the distance. If Ichigo was here, than there was a good chance Rukia was too. He could only hope she was somewhere safe, if not right there with Ichigo.

The teen nodded. "Not here, here, but back where these people come from. She's in their village with Kon." The fact that Renji was eager for answers was unknown to him; Ichigo was blind when it came to love.

"Ah…" Renji mumbled. He was tempted to ask _what _village, but knew that even to Ichigo that might reveal his intentions towards Rukia. Clenching his jaw he relished the thought of not knowing, but knew it needed to be that way.

Both shinigami returned back at the group, acting as if their brief conversation had never happened. Renji was the first to speak up, saying, "Well…it's been great seeing you, Ichigo, but I need to get back. A distraction will only last so long." What Renji didn't expect was one specific ninja to suddenly question him.

"Where will you be going back to?" Sakura asked, taking a step towards them. She knew what they both were, and figured such a question would be helpful. Involuntarily she looked mostly to Ichigo, a fact which did not go unnoticed by Renji.

Maliciously he smiled. Renji crossed his hands behind his back, falling back and forth on the balls of his feet. "Huh? Who are you?" He sent a snarky look towards Ichigo, who seemed blank and distant in terms of what Renji was trying to get at. All Renji could think of was that this girl, in her pink-headed glory, had somehow managed to be bewitched by Ichigo, which would make a surprising twist to his idea of Ichigo when it came to women.

She crossed her arms. "Haruno Sakura, but you didn't answer my question." She told him.

"You don't miss a thing, do you?"

Ichigo could already see the tension between the two of them. Both wanted answers from the other which both knew they would never get, yet they didn't give up. Although determination was an admirable trait, it was also dangerous in this situation. Ichigo diffused the situation by taking Renji by the shoulders and leading him off, giving him a good push towards the direction that he came from.

"Go, go! They're probably waiting for you!" Ichigo told him, blatantly guessing that whatever Renji was returning to involved people. Luckily enough, Renji just nodded and began to walk away. Though for shinigami, walking was unnecessary and he quickly switched to shunpo. Before they knew it, he was gone.

Gone. Such a lonely word. Seeing that one familiar person had made Ichigo feel somewhat better, but now with Renji gone the simple facts came crushing down on him: Sakura confessed, and for some reason he _cared_! That thought alone was enough to make him anxiously avert his eyes, suddenly feeling self-conscious about what she may or may not think about him. The pain to his ribcage returned and he bent over to ease it. Sakura suddenly became worried.

Worried…what a nice thought…

xXx

In the midst of a mere three minutes things had somewhat returned to a state of normalcy, or at least whatever normal was for a pair like Ichigo and Sakura. While the others were most likely plotting their next moves outside (minus Naruto, who was watching suspiciously from the doorway), the unlikely duo were in another room, alone. And not just a normal _alone, _but a shirtless-Ichigo alone. Unfortunately Sakura had failed to heal his injury properly, and because of that the condition of it had only escalated until the point where if she wasn't precise, they could run the risk of an unconscious state, and nobody in the group looking happily upon carrying Ichigo's tall body back to Konoha.

So there Sakura was, standing over shirtless Ichigo as her shaky hands delivered the medical ninjutsu. She did her best to pretend like Naruto wasn't silently watching them from the corner of his eyes. In truth she wished he would turn around, there were some things she wanted to talk to Ichigo about; and just like him, she had no idea why. There was just something she needed to say, or ask about, or state. What it was, or how she was going to do it was unknown, and in the end she decided to let time decide.

Oh, imagine her luck when Naruto was called away by Kakashi and Yamamoto, giving Sakura the private time she needed. Of course, something potentially awkward like this was easier said than done. The anticipation of whatever would naturally come out first was welling up, causing her hands to shake over his abdomen.

His abdomen was something special, that was for certain. Sakura had never been much of a fan girl or a flirtatious beast so knowing what to say in such a situation was uncommonly hard to think of. Nonetheless, she definitely knew what to _think_. Ichigo had ever single hero-straight going for him. Not only was he tall and handsome, but now it was suddenly obvious to Sakura that he had amazing pecks. Where all shinigami this ripped? Or was that specialty reserved for Ichigo? Rather unceremoniously, she was pulled out of her erratic thoughts with his voice.

"What?" He asked.

Quite suddenly, she felt overwhelmed with the idea that Ichigo might have noticed her staring. She coughed and turned her head to the side, muttering a weak "Sorry," in response. She knew she had many things she wanted to talk about, Renji being one of them. However, it was impossible to say anything in that situation. She felt as if her lips were sewn together; her vocal cords locked up.

He craned his neck off the table she had him laying on to look at her. She caught his eyes and held them, wondering what he was thinking. Even better, she hungered to know what he thought about _her_, and a part of her thought that she could figure it out by staring into his eyes. Eventually, though, the awkwardness was too much and they both looked away. Trying to focus on something more stable, she focused on not his muscles, but the medical ninjutsu she was using on them.

Trying to focus was a grave mistake. She knew that when he looked back to her and began, "So…" Anytime where someone used 'so' and broke off after that was a clear sign of a disastrous conversation. This was extremely disconcerting; hadn't Sakura had enough disasters in the past few hours?

"So…what was that back there?" He asked casually, or at least _tried _to. With the way he was laying, saying something like that with a smooth voice was difficult and he sounded more worried than he did curious.

Sakura could assume what he was talking about, but wasn't in a mood to talk about it. "Back where?" She asked, "What are you talking about, Ichigo?" Her response must have been unsatisfactory. Ichigo struggled against the palm of her hands to sit back up, which she could never allow. That had the potential to hurt him, and for reasons unknown she dreaded the thought of him disabled or severely injured.

Unhappily he sighed. "Don't give me that crap. You know exactly what I'm talking about." He spoke, narrowing his eyes at her. She ignored him. Making wild hand movements when justified he continued, "Just what were you thinking? I thought Naruto was like a brother, you said so yourself!"

Sakura shook her head blankly. "You have no idea what you're talking about; things are more complicated than that." Though to a certain extent he was right. Naruto was a close family member, but even such a deep bond like that had to be forgotten and put to the side when it came to what was right.

Gruffly, Ichigo grunted. "Oh really, how?"

Her hands tensed, on the verge of giving up on their medical ninjutsu and turning into fists to punch Ichigo in the face. Nonetheless she bottled up her irritation cleanly. "I did what had to be done," she told him delicately.

"No," he retorted, "you did what you _thought _had to be done. The world could have gone without that sad performance of yours."

Luckily for her she didn't need to take much more of this. In a matter of seconds she was done, and quickly retreated away from his close proximity. "Sad performance?" She questioned. "Do you think this is all just one big game? What I did was perfectly harmless." She nodded to herself while putting on her usual coal-gray gloves.

Ichigo bolted upright on the table, making sure to re-cloth his upper half as he muttered angrily, "What you did wasn't harmless, you hurt a lot of people." He slipped off the table, reaching for Zangetsu who was resting against the wall when Sakura's Chakra suddenly exploded. The air in the room changed; Ichigo felt chills.

"_Hurt a lot of people_? How could you say that? It's not me hurting people, it's not _my fault_!" She quickly strode up to him, jabbing an angry finger at his chest. As intimidating as it was, it didn't have the desired affect. Nonetheless, she went on. "If you really want to pin blame on anyone, it should be Sasuke! He's the one hurting people, not me!"

By now their voices were raising, to prevent anyone outside from hearing their conversation Ichigo forced his down to a hushed tone that was still considerably angry. "Sure, that's just an excuse, Sakura. You are just as bad as Sasuke!" He waved his hands to his sides frantically, expressing every single syllable by a rough jerk or his hand slapping on the table. "You. Are. Just. As. Bad."

"Ugh!" She barked, crossing her arms defensively and taking a step back. "Who did I hurt, Ichigo? Who was it that I wronged, huh?"

By now he had already strapped Zangetsu to his back, his hands needing to do something to relieve the tension he felt. Still, all of his pent-up frustration could be clearly seen in his face. "Naruto, you hurt Naruto…and…" He threw back mainly as an excuse to keep him from saying what he was really thinking. Yet his insides twisted together in anticipation, his mouth desiring to say three words. He fought it, even pinched his own arm to distract himself, but in the end it all came down to it. His unspoken answer would finally be said.

"And you hurt _me_."

Sakura was at a loss for words. He sounded hurt, truly defeated when he said that and quickly turned away. The dreadful silence ensued, and through that silence she realized many things. She was in disbelief the more she thought about it, the more she realized that without thinking about it, her actions all had consequences. And now she had to face the agonizing truths:

She caused Ichigo pain, when only moments ago she had feared the idea of hurting him. Of course pain held no boundaries, and now she suddenly saw that any physical pain would have been no threat to him. Indeed, a hurtling punch to the gut would have been less painful than her spewing some cruel words. He could walk free from a tackle, but not from malice-injected hate words. It also seemed to occur to her, that out of all the things she had said to Naruto she now knew which one had hurt Ichigo. Of course all of them had hurt him, but there were specific words that tortured him. Her confession to Naruto was like a rejection to him.

Out of all times to learn of this, it just had to be now. At the most awkward of times she finally understood what those undisclosed emotions meant; she had feelings for Ichigo. Whether or not those feelings were just a quick infatuation or a lifelong love was unknown, but she did know this: The feelings she felt for Ichigo made her feel less and less responsible for all the problems that were happening around her, and for once she wasn't sad about Sasuke.

But to hurt him with that confession to Naruto could only mean one thing. He must have felt some sort of feeling similar to hers in order to feel so hurt and rejected. All in one moment her heart seemed to soar and fall; soar at the notion that her feelings weren't completely unprecedented, and fall knowing that now there was no possibility of ever justifying her actions to him. She was almost positive that he would never forgive her. To him there was no solution that would make her actions justified; he could never understand what she was thinking. But at least now she understood him.

Furthermore, in the middle of this renowned discovery something truly appalling also came to light. The silence that ebbed on between them was more than just what it appeared to. In a brief moment they both seemed to understand that not only was it silent inside the Inn, but _outside _as well. Sakura and Ichigo exchanged the glances, both of them equally sure that either they were left inside the Inn or everyone outside had heard their stark confessions. The latter seemed most likely, and while Sakura flustered from the embarrassment, Ichigo rerouted his feelings to anger.

He strode right past her to the door, throwing it open. "Wait!" Sakura called. The only response he was willing to give was the slam of the door. The sound echoed throughout the room as to mock her. Now this was his payback; her rejection. An eye for an eye.

She stalked out of the Inn, immediately catching the eyes of those outside. She noted that now there were only four people outside, Ichigo, Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato having left the premises. She clenched her jaw. Things wouldn't have to be so complicated if she took the time to examine or own feelings.

Originally she had planned to take down Sasuke on her own, free Naruto the pain of anyone else doing it, but any thoughts in relation to that were washed away. Sakura tightly wrapped her cloak around her arms, not even bothering to so much as glance her companions' way as she went past.

"Let's go home."

xXx

( Location Unknown )

The Kage Summit had been the worst thing Karin had ever been to, and it wasn't because she had a heavy distaste for political issues. Oh no, her dislike of the event was born the moment Sasuke was set free to start havoc. The whole thing was chaos, and throughout all of it Karin was afraid for her life. Hiding out where they supposedly could not see her, her job was to locate Danzo's chakra signature. But that job was hard when people were talking fifty miles a minute, fighting whenever they got the chance, and breaking holes in the very wall she was supported on.

So yes, she feared for her life. The fear was so great that tracking down Danzo took a prolonged period of time. It didn't help that she felt conflicted about Sasuke. At that point she'd only had a brief whiff of his evil side and still felt relatively in love with him as all females did. She was yet to see how easily his handsome face could contort to something evil, something _sinister_. And even when that face peeked out from the dark underbelly of Sasuke's soul she dismissed it, afraid to believe that the very Sasuke she knew was a _monster._

Things only continued to go downhill when Sasuke unleashed the Susanoo. Even she, someone she was so very positive he could never hurt, believed that she would die. Karin wanted to curl up in a corner and forget she was there, save herself, really. She thought that perhaps Sasuke had changed back to the handsome hero she imagined when he saved her from the roof caving in. Of course, his chivalry could only last so long as it had an expiration date. Quite suddenly she lost track of all space and time and found herself in a very mysterious place.

Nowhere.

A world of black, the only solid surface to walk, sit, and lay on being luminous white squares and rectangles. It was like a world made of oversized blocks, created by a two-year old with a hard time expressing their imagination. Karin looked around, frightened and confused. How did she get from the Kage Summit to a world of white toy blocks and black nothingness? It didn't make any sense.

Beside her she spied Sasuke, injured and unconscious. She gulped, leaning in to get a better look at his face. "You look so harmless when you're sleeping…" She mumbled, sighing, "Why can't it always be this way?" Of course she knew the answer; she could feel it in his Chakra. The darkness that had played with him for so long was finally taking control, overtaking his body and soul.

Past Sasuke, Karin swore she could see something move. A flash of brown went right across her vision, jumping from block to block. Was it possible someone else was there, too? She furrowed her brows, quickly hoisting herself up and chasing after the stranger. The blocks were more of an obstacle for her. Although she was indeed a ninja, she wasn't the fighting type. Sensory shinobi like her didn't usually have the strength or determination to run fast or jump high like the mystery person she chased could. Yet today she had rallied up a little determination with the fear that she was in an unknown place. And Karin -being the overly-obnoxious woman she was known as- hated not knowing.

"Hey! Wait!" She called, climbing over block after block just to catch up. Eventually she got close enough that he could hear her, evident by the way he inclined his head towards her. Unfortunately, they were still too far apart and she needed to get closer in order to find out who he was. "I just have a few questions!" She called once more.

She never thought he would come to a complete stop, never. However it seems not everything that happened to her that day had to be bad. The stranger, to her absolute surprised, stopped and let her catch up. The fact that she was getting further and further away from Sasuke didn't occur to her, that she was potentially leaving the only safe spot in this whole twisted universe. Soon enough she began to see that her decision wasn't the brightest one she had ever made.

Upon closer inspection, she saw that this man was _big_. Not fat, but tall, maybe over eight feet tall. He was a giant, and not just _any _giant. The first thing she noticed was how he lacked _skin_ or anything fleshy in general. The man…or, _thing_…was a walking skeleton. Literally. Only instead of white, chipped bones they were a sleek and shiny black color. And where she should be able to see his skull was some sort of colorful mask made of bone. To say the least, Karin froze in her spot, allowing it all to soak in. It didn't help that he wore a tattered brown jacket that went down to the knees with a white cloth wrapped around his torso like a sash.

Seeing the thing so clearly startled her, and she promptly shrieked and fell backwards. "GAH!" Karin got onto her back and crab-walked away as fast as she could. Unfortunately her hands found that there was nothing behind her; she was on the edge of the block. "This isn't happening, this isn't happening." She told herself crazily. "It's just a dream, just a dream." A dream would have been a more plausible situation. After all, where else would you see a giant skeleton wearing strange clothing with a bone mask?

The thing edged closer, whether it was smiling or not she couldn't tell. There was only one expression on his mask: pure agony. "Ohoho~ Who is this we have here? Did he finally send me something to play with?" The creature asked itself. Its voice was perhaps the worst thing about it. It was monotonic and scratchy, sending shivers down her spine.

"Stay away!" Karin told it, holding up a shaky hand as it approached. "I'm warning you!"

It laughed a cruel laugh. "You think you could fight me, is that it? Newsflash baby, you're in hell. There ain't no escaping fate in this land, not unless he allows it." The giant came closer, oddly enough his voice right then didn't feel threatening. If anything, it felt welcoming. As if he was a prisoner here, too.

Karin gulped, somewhat reluctant to believe that the creature was harmless. "Do you know where we are…?" She asked it, forcing the obvious tension in her muscles away. She remembered being told that monsters could smell fear.

The skeleton made a big circular gesture to everything around them. "I told you, you're in hell now." She heard it sigh (or something that resembled a sigh, at least) as it stuck out its hand before her, offering to help her up. It was a little funny to see an 8 foot tall creature bending over to help an average sized woman. "Hell being the inside of his head, that mother f-"

She accepted the hand cautiously, interrupting what she expected to be a long string of curses by asking, "Who's this he you like to talk about?" He lifted her back to her feet.

"Tobi- Madara- err, whatever his name is." The creature informed. "We're inside his sick little head, trapped basically. Any Jutsu is illogical in this world; he's made it so you can't fight." The fact that he specifically referred to her when mentioning Jutsu passed by unnoticed.

Karin nodded, crossing her arms uncomfortably. It felt awkward to be looking up at the thing before her when it was twice her size. Nonetheless, it seemed the creature had a lot of useful information about this place _and _Madara. For both her and Sasuke's sake, it wouldn't hurt just to milk out a bit more, wouldn't it? That in mind she politely asked, "So how did Madara manage to force you in here?"

"Probably in the same way he got you here, missy. It was unexpected and spontaneous. That bastard…I didn't even see him coming…" It responded, its boney hands curling up into a hard fist. The body language Karin could see and interpret suggested anger and resentment. Obviously this creature had a feud against Madara.

Karin briefly glanced back in the direction of Sasuke before returning her attention to the thing before her. With one hand she pushed up her glasses and used the other to flip back her hair. "So what's you're name?" She could have sworn she saw the lips on his mask curl up into a sort of sneer.

"Jiryokou." It responded.

xXx

**Author's Note: **

Yipee! I'm so excited! I finally get to write more of my own plot stuff after this point! Now, I'm sure you noticed that this Truths chapter was in two parts. I did that to save some space. Originally I had a big 20-page epic planned, but let's face it: that's just too much. So I sorted it down to this, which I think was the smarter decision.

Oh and a special shout out to the anonymous reviewer that pointed out the Naruto Character "Yamamoto" was actually "Yamato". A big thanks for you, I would've have never caught that otherwise. Now that I know I'll try to keep it consistent. Unfortunately I can't go through and edit the other chapters, but I won't make the same mistake twice!

Also, if I have a chapter done and there has already been 200 views, I usually post it even if I just recently updated. Just saying that to see if anyone's willing to help promote the story. I really love it and would like to see it get more attention in the fanfiction world. Nonetheless I'm reasonably happy with the way things are going! 8D

Sayounara!


	17. Jiryokou

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or Bleach. I do not own the characters or plot affiliated with it. All I really own is my creative ingenuity when combining the stories together. Har-de-har.

This is a special early-update, just so I could get the attention of a certain someone... (who I will track down eventually)

**SPECIAL NOTE: **_Lily, if you're out there reading this, please contact me soon. I don't know what you think I did, but using your friend as an owl isn't the sweetest thing to do. I can assure you that my story is completely original, and if it's somewhat similar to yours, than I'm sorry, but take a good look at all the other fanfiction out there. Are you going to accuse those authors too? I shouldn't have to defend myself over some baseless accusation. So please, contact me so we can straighten this out._

_Without further ado, let's get back to the completely ORIGINAL fanfiction,_ Extenuating Circumstances_._

xXx

( Location: still not quite known )

"_Jiryokou." It responded._

Karin didn't know what to think about Jiryokou yet, but she was certain that he was neither a human nor a shinobi. Therefore he especially could not be from the elemental nations. There was always the chance he could have been one of Orochimaru's experiments, but oddly enough the female highly doubted that. She would have known who he was if that were true. She knew everybody.

When Jiryokou inquired about how Karin got there herself, she shrugged. "I was hiding from a fight…Sasuke was fighting the Kages, and he was losing… I think Madara might have taken us out of there to save our lives…" She told him, doubting it. To Madara her life was unimportant, so why would he save her other than to replenish Sasuke's strength; which reminded her that she had not come alone, Sasuke was there as well.

Her eyes opened wide, and after a brief moment of paralysis she suddenly ran back where she came, hurriedly jumping onto shape after shape. She could hear Jiryokou's skeletal feet clunk behind her, easily keeping up with her basic speed.

"Where are you going?" He asked in his scratchy unharmonious voice. "We only just started to have some fun!"

Karin rolled her eyes while making a wide jump to a nearby rectangle. Her legs wobbled under the pressure. "Having…some fun?" She panted, risking a glance back at him. "I would…hardly…call that having…some fun."

He sped up to stay along her side, the giant looking down at her, amused. "Well it might not have been fun for you, but it was really fun for me. I've been alone in here forever." He told her. From her perspective, Jiryokou was a decent being. If only she knew all the lives he had ruined in his wake.

She made another jump, this time rolling as she hit the ground to save herself any injury. She may not have been strong or fast, but she was limber. "Well, you're not…alone anymore. I'm…not the…only one…that's…here." She nodded to herself, speeding up when she saw the blurry body in the distance. She pointed to it. "That right there is Sasuke, and I'm responsible for healing him."

What Jiryokou thought of that, she would never learn. He sped right past her, eventually stopping to crouch beside Sasuke's body. Instantly Karin began to worry, and worked even harder to catch up. She couldn't let Sasuke get hurt, even if she was confused about where they stood, or if he was truly evil or not.

She came to the two, collapsing on Sasuke's other side. Frantically she rolled up her sleeve, allowing Jiryokou to see the strange circular marks on her arms. Even more strange were the bite marks, as in _real _bite marks. In the designated spaces it seemed people were biting her arms. At first Jiryokou was confused, but when he saw her practically push her arm into Sasuke's mouth he understood.

"People bite you to gain energy!" He exclaimed smartly, feeling proud of his obnoxious discovery.

Karin looked to him, not at all amused, before turning back to Sasuke. "More or less, yes." Her other hand she used to gently open Sasuke's mouth. The touch seemed to wake him up, and when he noticed her arm he promptly bit down.

The feeling of teeth in a living person's flesh was nothing to be proud of. Needless to say, Karin bit her own lip to keep back her screams and pained screeches. It hurt, but she had to remain strong. This was her job. This was her reason for living, or at least that's what Orochimaru would tell her. Slowly she noticed the color come back to Sasuke's face; it was obvious he was gaining energy. Second by second his bite was harder, more forceful, while she slowly diminished herself. Her eyes began to droop, the color draining away from her cheeks. Jiryokou saw this, and he was tempted to pull Sasuke away, yet at the same time he wanted to see what would happen.

For the briefest moment Karin blacked out. She saw, heard, or felt nothing as she fell into a state of nothingness. Although it felt brief, in reality her unconsciousness lasted nearly an hour, during which Jiryokou carefully stayed by her side, discussing certain matters with Sasuke. The way Sasuke seemed to treat Karin was not impressive to Jiryokou, excluding the fact that he had harmed so many people in his long lifetime. Today the Hollow was feeling generous, especially to Karin who had a soul like his…well, what he _used _to have anyways.

It was strange to see Sasuke abandon her so, merely walking away as she lay in a heap on the surface. The matter reminded Jiryokou of his past, and made him angry. Hungry for vengeance, and even though he had served justice all those years ago he still didn't feel full or fulfilled. Of course, now it was hard to sort out right from wrong. The line between the two was blurred beyond recognition.

When Karin awoke they were not alone. She, Jiryokou and Sasuke now had another presence to "look forward" to. Madara was before them soon after she woke up. Rubbing her eyes she looked at his form. Just like Jiryokou she couldn't tell what he was thinking, or what he looked like. But unlike Jiryokou, she hated him.

Without any explanation she and Sasuke were sucked back through a swirling black hole, at which point she didn't even get to say thank you or goodbye to the lonely Jiryokou before they were thrown back into the real world. Still tired and uncoordinated, Karin landed right on her backside. Sasuke landed right on his feet in front of her, which she would have looked to as a protective action if it wasn't for the fact they were simply dropped there.

Nothing was ever as it seemed, that much made a lot of sense when it came to Sasuke. The moment they both seemed to look at their surroundings, Sasuke's aura grew cold and distant. It was venomous, the way he looked to the person in front of them, the very same person she was ordered to track down during the Kage Summit. He was the man that Sasuke desired to kill… Karin was none too happy about that.

xXx

( Land of Iron )

Sai wasn't a complicated person, but lately it seemed he was hanging with very complicated people. At first when he heard and saw Sakura's reaction to the grim news about Sasuke, he instinctively knew she was going to plan something big; something bad. The more time they spent discussing it, and going from Konoha to the Land of Iron in search of Naruto, he also had a hunch. Of course then it was more specific. He had the distinct feeling that Sakura wanted to kill Sasuke herself…but of course that couldn't be proven just yet.

So he stuck with her and the others and stood aside when she made her confession to Naruto. Sai considered Naruto a friend, as was Sakura, thus watching what conspired between the two was hard. Though he couldn't do anything about it. This was Sakura's decision and hers alone. Only she and Naruto knew Sasuke best. Or at least, they knew the _old _Sasuke best. Sai was sure that nobody could fully understand this new one. All the evil and the hatred…

Things just had to take a turn for the worst when the confession was over and done with. It seemed that Sakura had _two _confessions to make. Sai, or anyone else for that matter, wasn't entirely sure what went on inside the Inn; but one thing was for certain, something must have happened between the two of them. They went in relatively calm and collected people, but came out angry. Ichigo was the first to leave the scene, followed by Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato who all were curious as to what happened.

Sai had a pretty good idea what happened, though. It was hard not to hear how passionately the two yelled at each other, Ichigo was mad at Sakura, while Sakura was mad at Ichigo for being mad at her. It was a vicious cycle that didn't end until Ichigo said something he probably didn't mean to, which threw everything off balance. Sai couldn't help but feel he and the others were somewhat responsible for what happened. If they hadn't eavesdropped, or at least pretended not to hear what was happening, it was possible the two wouldn't have been so embarrassed about it.

Sai actually liked Ichigo. He was a decent person, strong in his opinion and very determined. But embarrassed? Picturing that very delicate emotion on Ichigo's hard features was difficult to imagine. Never in a million years would Sai have pegged Ichigo for being one of the "secretly-sensitive" types he read about in his books.

Eventually Sakura came out too, looking rather stricken as she ordered the group away. Sai felt like they owed the other group an explanation, thus without her knowing he created an ink clone. The explanation they owed was something personal, thus rather than having the clone go to them, _he_ himself would go to them. With the clone there to keep his place, he veered off from the group and towards Naruto and the others.

They weren't too far off, just heading in a slightly different direction than they were. He went to them and confronted them, spilling all the information he had to give. He didn't forget to mention his suspicions against Sakura, and how he didn't think they were much of a threat. She was far too emotional right now to chase after Sasuke (a fact that didn't make Naruto very happy, considering she was more emotional about Ichigo). But the whole thing wasn't about Sakura; there were other crucial things he needed to talk about, too.

Thus came the hardest news of it all: the order against Sasuke. Sai didn't think Naruto would take the news well, which, as expected, he didn't. Knowing that all his friends and fellow villagers agreed to hunt and kill Sasuke themselves willingly was hard enough, but to add in the bit about how he was the last to know? Ouch.

Both Sai and Naruto understood what this now meant. If Naruto wanted to harmlessly get to Sasuke before he was taken out, the time to do it was now. Sai relatively understood the bond that they supposedly had, at least from Naruto's opinion. Therefore he could see how much it meant to the Jinchuriki. However, Sai wouldn't warn Kakashi and Yamato about possible Naruto's intentions to confront Sasuke. They would figure out on their own, and either way Sai trusted Naruto to make the good decision and stay out of any trouble.

Sai thought the news went very well for Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato. Ichigo, however, was a different story. The shinigami wasn't listening, or even looking Sai's way all the while he spoke and conversed. It seemed he was still angry at Sakura, and spent most of Sai's visit pacing in the distance. He didn't even utter a hello, or a goodbye as Sai left.

Emotions were such tricky things, and it was disheartening to know that Sai still had a lot to learn about them.

xXx

Renji had his suspicions against Ichigo and that girl, Sakura. They just felt like they _had something_. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but that was how he felt when he saw them. Just the way their auras meshed together suggested some deeper connection that the others there didn't seem to notice. It was especially strange considering how much Ichigo never seemed to be interested in girls. Going to Soul Society to save Rukia wasn't because Ichigo liked her, but because they were _friends_. Even during that time Renji and a few others visited Ichigo's school ever so briefly, to check back up on them after their daring trip to Seireitei, he never acknowledged the way Orihime looked at him. Never.

Albeit it was strange, it also made a lot of sense. That Sakura girl wasn't like many others, and not just because of her bubble-gum pink hair. She seemed _strong_, not to say that Rukia wasn't strong, that girl was just strong for a human.

Renji would have given the matter more thought, but couldn't once he laid his eyes upon the Kage Summit, or at least what was _left _of the Kage Summit. The left half of the building lay in ruins, walls and ceiling falling inward or had fallen off altogether. It made Renji wonder if the dark-skinned Kage, the Raikage, had done this all out of the uncontrollable anger that he seemed to have. Then again, it could have been that white man called Zetsu that had provided Renji with such a sound distraction. Either way it was somebody's fault.

A part of Renji wanted to go inside and get a better look at all the action that he had missed, but never got the chance when he spied Gaara and the gang walking over the bridge and through the gates, followed by the other Kage and numerous Samurai. The fact that Renji had left the Summit in the middle didn't seem to matter to the others. They walked right past the shinigami as if they had something more important to do (of course he didn't doubt that they did).

The three Suna came up to Renji and stopped. Temari seemed oddly happy as she smiled and said, "Welcome back." He nodded to her politely, after which she strolled to his side and wrapped an arm around his. "You missed all the fun."

Renji quirked a brow. "Fun?"

Kankuro and Gaara led the way as the former said, "Yeah, fun. While you were out slacking, the Kage agreed to a Shinobi Alliance, and Gaara's the leader." The two seemed proud of Gaara's achievement, for they both bobbed their head in agreement.

Claiming his arm away from Temari's grasp, he responded. "Oh, that kind of fun." He went to Gaara's side as the other two led the way back to their village, he supposed. It was likely Gaara would want to know how things went, but Renji wasn't sure how he would explain this one. He could have sworn he felt a Hollow's presence, not Ichigo's…now that he thought about it, it was fairly suspicious that Ichigo's Reiatsu felt like a Hollow's. Something like that couldn't just be a coincidence. Though Renji would not mention that fact to Gaara, at least not until he was sure. Conveniently, Gaara inquired as to what happened in a hushed tone. The other two didn't know Renji was a shinigami.

Renji's tall frame leaned in to explain. "It wasn't a threat, actually. It was just a false alarm. Turns out I'm not the only Reaper here. Ichigo and Rukia, two shinigami that I know are trustworthy, are here also. Ichigo told me they were hiding out in a place called 'Konoha'…"

Renji didn't notice the amused spark in Gaara's eyes, but he did hear the tone in the Kage's voice. It perked at the end, as if he was interested. "Did you say Konoha?" He asked once more, raising his eyebrows slightly. Renji nodded to confirm it. Gaara uncharacteristically smiled, a muscle movement that was so small and inferior Renji or the others would never be able to see it.

Quite suddenly Kankuro looked back at the two of them. "What about Konoha?" He asked, steering Temari over with the same question.

It was disappointing to not know what Gaara was thinking. Renji would have appreciated to know what he thought when he said, "We're going to visit some old friends."

xXx

( Konohagakure no Sato )

They were homebound at last! Of course, the meaning of that word would have been a little sweeter if they were in Karakura Town. Unfortunately for Ichigo, they were back at his temporary home, Konoha. Though it wasn't completely unfortunate, at least now he would be able to avoid Naruto. During the trip back the teen had been giving Ichigo the cold shoulder, and was being increasingly unfriendly. He convinced himself that this was all just a phase, that soon enough he would be able to befriend Naruto, no matter how stubborn the blond seemed to be.

He didn't think Naruto would be very open to a new friend, especially after what went down with Sasuke. Ichigo had seen it all. Only an hour after Sai had left to rejoin Sakura's group, Naruto had snuck away to confront Sasuke. If it hadn't been for Ichigo taking notice of this and Kakashi and Yamato quickly following behind, Naruto could have been seriously hurt. Luckily he came out fine and unscathed physically. Emotionally, Naruto must have felt disappointed. After all this time to see his friend so dastardly must have been hard. Therefore Ichigo didn't suspect Naruto would be open to friendship any time soon.

The issue with Sasuke had to be dropped once they found something, or rather _someone _he had left behind. A red-haired female wearing the Akatsuki robes, stabbed right through the chest lying in a pool of her own blood. She was vital to figuring out more about Sasuke, thus saving her life was the most important thing. Ichigo carried the girl in his arms as the four of them rushed full-speed back to Konoha. In return they got back in record time, which was unfortunately around the same time Sakura and the others returned.

The other group was standing inside the gates talking to two other shinobi (who most likely worked the gates) when Ichigo and the others finally got there. Despite his anger towards Sakura, the first thing he did was call the roseate over. He didn't know what she thought about him holding a dying female in his arms, and he didn't particularly care to know. What was most important about the girl was the knowledge she may have had about the Akatsuki.

Retreating into a medical tent Sakura got to work with healing the girl, now identified as Karin. Ichigo was left to wait outside the tent with Kiba and Akamaru. Lee and Sai had returned to their own business. Both teens looked worried, occasionally peeking into the tent. Ichigo hadn't ever seen that much blood come out of a body, the evidence was stained all over his black hakama. He looked at the fabric nauseatingly.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Kiba asked, getting a bark from his dog in agreement. Ichigo looked at the two of them closely, detecting genuine concern.

Going off his gut, the shinigami nodded. "I think so. The victim's got Sakura treating her, after all." Ichigo responded without thinking. The mention of Sakura, coming from him, gave Kiba a curious gleam to his eyes.

"You're that confident in Sakura?" Kiba asked, eyebrows raised.

There were numerous ways Ichigo could phrase this, but only one seemed like it would go smoothly and without fail. He wanted to protect the hard-headed image he had conjured up for himself. "Sure, I mean I'm still alive, aren't I?"

Kiba nodded. "That's true." He glanced down to Akamaru and gently petted the dog, most likely coming up with what to say next. To be honest, the relationship between Kiba and Ichigo hadn't been very good, at least not since Kiba made an attempt at the "strawberry" joke. Still, that didn't stop Kiba from looking to Ichigo for answers about Karin. Where she was from and why she almost died.

Ichigo itched his ear and looked away. "Listen, you didn't hear this from me, but," he began, looking both ways before continuing, "we think she was working with Sasuke, as in she knows the specifics on the inside. But we also think that the one that stabbed her _was _Sasuke. Kakashi says the wound consistent with something he called the 'Chidori'." Ichigo took a step forward, holding his hands up to signify confidentiality on the subject. "This girl's not normal. She's got these strange marks all over her body. They think that she's also an 'experiment of Orochimaru', or something like that." Ichigo didn't know much about the Chidori or Orochimaru, those were things Kakashi didn't take the time to divulge on.

"Whoa, really?" Kiba mumbled, "Then she's going to be really useful if she lives…"

xXx

Now instead of a tent, an official building had been constructed for the time being to house Tsunade. Shizune sat to the side like usual, Tom-tom on her lap. She couldn't help but look at Tsunade's weary and wrinkly face closely and feel sad and nostalgic. Tsunade was the person who recognized talent in Shizune, the one who gave her life meaning. Not only that, but Tsunade was a symbol of hope for all of Konoha. Seeing her so frail was hard. With all her heart Shizune wanted to just look away, but she couldn't allow that.

Thus she watched closely, so many things running through her mind at the same time. She wondered about the missions currently happening while Tsunade was out, and the Kage Summit, something she believed that Tsunade should have been the one to attend. That woman was the true hero! Defending the village from Pein and all, while Danzo merely sat on the sidelines and watched his home be destroyed. It made Shizune so angry that she curled her fists and itched for the chance to take out her frustration on that sad old man. If only she knew that the object of her malicious fury was already dead.

Something stirred in Tsunade that caused Shizune to crawl forth, leaning right over her body. What was that? She thought she heard something. Closer she leaned in, only to hear it again! Only this time she knew exactly what it was; a breath of air! Just to make sure Shizune stayed perched over the body for another moment. Anticipation and joy flooded her system as she watched Tsunade's chest slowly rise and fall as her eyes stammered open.

Shizune felt like all the wind had been blown out of her body, but in a good way. "HELP!" She called out to the other side of the building. Two shinobi forced themselves in, taking a good look at Tsunade and nearly tearing up. "Quick! Get the elders! Tell them, tell everyone! Tsunade's awake!"

And that she was. The hope of the village finally restored in the form of three simple yet labored breaths. It looked like from then on it would be smooth sailing. Tsunade was a strong woman, and she would be back in no time. That thought made Shizune want to jump for joy, much like Tom-tom did at her side.

xXx

**A/N: **So this is it! Tsunade's awake and their back in the village! Now I have the freedom to continue the plot as I would like myself! Woo~ This is so exciting! Also, Lily if you're still reading, CONTACT ME (my email is on my profile, bold and italicized. This whole situation is making it hard to write, and I think the _Extenuating_ fans wouldn't like that.

See you next time!


	18. Tsunade's Reprise

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Naruto or Bleach, but I know somebody who knows somebody that owns little Naruto and Ichigo plushies. That's got to count for something, right?

**A/N**: _I__'__m __putting __brief __author__'__s __notes __before __and __after __my __chapters __from __now __on, __just __because __I __like __the __way __this __format __flows. __You __start __with __a __little __note __from __me, __and __end __with __one __from __me. __8D_

_Also, chapters 18 and 19 and 20 (especially 20) are all about Sakura and Ichigo, so if you've wanted to see more character development then here you go~ But after that it's mostly about the Naruto plot line, and Naruto himself. So get ready._

_Enjoy!_

xXx

( Konoha )

Rukia felt unusually heavy. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but for some reason she felt weighed down by an unseen force. The sensation was especially apparent when she practiced her hand signs, or her Chakra control. This little tidbit of information she kept to herself, not wanting to worry Ichigo in any way. Besides, even if she shared it, who would be able to tell her what it meant? For shinigami, the ways of the shinobi were entirely different and Rukia was the first shinigami to learn Jutsu (she thought). Ebisu wouldn't be able to quell her worries…it looked like finding out what was happening was entirely up to her.

After her morning lap around the training grounds she was prepared to practice more of her henge when she felt a familiar Reiatsu in the area. Rukia just about jumped for joy at Ichigo's return. They were great friends and she wished to tell him everything that she –and technically he- had learned through Ebisu. Forgetting the hand signs she was supposed to be making she took a beeline through the vast expanse of trees to the village gates. They were getting close…she could _feel_it.

Unfortunately there wasn't a chance to tell Ichigo of her findings. Indeed the substitute shinigami arrived, but with him there was a badly injured woman. Rukia was forced to step aside and let the shinobi handle the situation while she waited patiently for a chance to talk. From afar she watched Ichigo and Kiba talk in front of the tent, though she didn't know what they were talking about specifically she could grasp the basic concept of it. Nodding where a nod was required she listened closely.

Finally Sakura came out of the tent, her pink hair tied back. She looked exhausted, but also pleased to announce that the injured woman, Karin, was alive! Of course nobody was happy for Karin's wellbeing, they were more ecstatic about the information she could provide on Sasuke and the Akatsuki. Rukia was about to approach the group when she saw a blob of orange heading her way. Lightly turning her head she saw it was none other than Naruto.

"Hey Rukia," Naruto politely addressed, getting a curt nod from Rukia in response. The female didn't know much about Naruto for she had ever only had a few chances to talk to him. However it seemed like he was determined to get a good talk in today; taking a minute to stand right next to Rukia he said, "So what's his deal." He pointed over to Ichigo, who was now trying to ignore Sakura. Rukia knew him well enough to tell when he was trying to avoid confrontation.

She knitted her brows at Naruto, taking a brief moment to look at him as if he was joking. Nope, he was being completely serious. She sighed and turned her attention back to the villagers that passed by them and the commotion by Karin's new tent. "There's not much to tell you, Naruto. And even if I had anything I wouldn't betray Ichigo, he's my friend." She thought her response was fairly admirable.

"Oh," he said dejectedly, eyes wandering to the ground, "I guess that's all right, I just thought that I could help Ichigo is all." Something about his voice felt persuasive and pitiful at the same time… Naruto turned away and slowly put one foot in front of the other, attempting to leave Rukia answerless. "See you la-"

"Now just hold on a minute!" Rukia told him, effectively stopping him in his tracks. She was not only confused, but suspicious of Naruto's intentions. Did he really say he wanted to help Ichigo, and if so, with what? "What do you mean?"

Slowly the Jinchuriki strolled back to his place at her side. "Oh, you know, the usual…just wanted to help him with any problems he might have…involving dark powers and being controlled." He told her, obviously looking at her for answers.

She stiffened, knowing precisely where this conversation was going. To that day Rukia didn't like thinking about Ichigo's inner…_hollow_… She still remembered how frightening he could be when it took over, and how intimidating the mask was. Anyone who saw that part of Ichigo simply could not look at him the same way ever again. Thus she was worried that sometime during his "trip" he'd let loose and tapped into the Hollow. Visored or not, something like that was too reckless to use. Momentarily she glanced over to Ichigo, all the sudden wanting very much to talk to him.

Did Naruto know? Had he seen the hollow? Her eyes shot back to the blond and by doing so she unknowingly confirmed to him that somewhere inside Ichigo was darkness. Nonetheless she collectively replied, "No, I can't think of any darkness."

By now Ichigo, Sakura, and the others who were around Karin's tent dispersed (except for Kakashi, who was officially on guard duty). Rukia decided to follow them, followed by Naruto. Something felt off, as if they were all gathering for a _reason_. Rukia wasn't entirely sure what they wanted until all of the teenage shinobi she had met were centered on high piles of freshly-sawed wood. Some took seats at the top of the piles, but like Ichigo, Rukia preferred to hang out on the ground, leaning her weight against it. Hesitantly looking around she recognized several people, all of which had been introduced to her by Sakura during their free time. Unfortunately, people were _missing_, four people, to be exact.

"Hey, where're Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru and Choji?" She asked, turning to Sakura who stood close by. Unfortunately, the roseate looked self-absorbed in her thoughts, thus forcing the shinigami to turn her question over to Kiba above her. She asked it again.

Kiba rubbed the back of his head. "You know, I probably should know, but all Hinata said was that they were going on an important scouting trip. Where or why I have no idea…" He mumbled apologetically, feeling slightly silly that despite the fact he was Hinata's teammate he didn't keep very good tabs on her.

Rukia nodded, craning her neck to look at those that were left. Ichigo, who a yard or two directly across from her, looked annoyed. Irritated, at best. Occasionally Rukia would catch him shoot a look Sakura's way, but because of the sheer speed she never got a chance to see what he was expressing. Anger? Resentment? Or perhaps Sakura just had something on her face? To confirm the latter Rukia looked to the kunoichi yet saw nothing. '_So__it__can__'__t__be__that__one,_' Rukia thought to herself, attention being directed to Kon, who had just joined the group. He came to stand next to her.

Quite suddenly, the discussion was started when Neji said, "Naruto, this is unreasonable! Selfish!" His forehead was creased, chin squared in frustration. Rukia didn't quite catch anything before that point, and she only caught it because Neji was usually quiet and laid-back and made a sudden change.

The accused shook his head, his spiky blond hair bobbing. "I'm not trying to be selfish!"

"Well you could've fooled me," Kiba murmured, rolling over on his back, still secure at the top of the pile. "We're all prepared to kill Sasuke, man!"

Usually Shikamaru was in charge of these things, but because of his absence Neji was forced to take over. He crossed his arms over his chest and added on, "You're not trying to convince us just so you can turn around and defend Sasuke, are you?"

Rukia's head snapped back and forth, trying to catch the important bits of the "discussion" (which was quickly turning into a debate). Shino unexpectedly brought up a good point about Sasuke and the Summit. Rukia nodded, noting that it was true; Sasuke was indeed weakened (part of the official mission report) after fighting Danzo and the Kage, why _didn__'__t_Naruto finish him there? In defense Sakura stated that Madara was there as well, which was yet another good point. Rukia had been in Konoha long enough to know that this "Madara" was one seriously dangerous dude.

Kiba jumped back in, complimenting and shaming Naruto at the same time by bringing up the defeat of Pein and his ultimate powers, something Rukia didn't agree with. Indeed the shinigami felt strong waves of energy come off this teen, it was not strong enough to defeat such a formidable opponent. She knew how strong Danzo was just from being in close proximity to him, and if Sasuke defeated that man then he was indeed a force not to be reckoned with. At the current time, Naruto didn't stand much of a chance. He may have tried to act calm, but he knew it, and Rukia knew it. The two of them also knew he would do something to change that.

The topic of strength brought up again, Naruto ended it solemnly. To others it looked like Naruto was shouldering all the responsibility of taking down Sasuke on himself, but it was more than that. Of course, when asked, Naruto merely pushed it aside. "I'll tell you when it's time," he told them, slowly relaxing to head in the other direction. He leaned back as he strode, in a walking lazy-boy position with both hands behind his head, "I'm hungry! I'll be at Ichiraku's if you need me!"

Rukia, however, could not let him go. She quickly stepped in front of him, looking behind the group intently. "Wait, someone's coming…" Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ichigo perk up too, likely noticing the Chakra as well. Now that Rukia was learning more about Chakra, hand signs, and Jutsu, she was fairly susceptible to sensing the substance, especially one in such a heavy concentration…when it occurred to her, she had felt this Chakra somewhere before.

Hatake Kakashi approached the Chuunin, holding out one of his classic books in one hand while the other was secured in his pocket. He barely even glanced at the numerous shinobi before stopping in front of them. He turned a page.

They waited for him to do something, say _something_, but for the longest moment he was completely silent. Absorbed into his book so far that if felt like he didn't even know who he was near. Nonetheless, that could not be true! Not when he slowly lifted his head, his revealed eye flicking to the kids in front of them. He looked to three specific people who Rukia could not see before turning his blank stare directly at her. She gulped, suddenly feeling like she had done something wrong…it was Shinigami Academy all over again.

"I've got some good news, and some bad news." He began, looking to Sakura. "Good news is that Tsunade's awa-" Kakashi was interrupted by several shocked gasps and dramatic comments (including Naruto's "Granny Tsunade is awake? Hell yeah!") before he cleared his throat and continued, "awake, yes. But the bad news is she wants to speak with the four of you; Ichigo, Rukia, Kon, and Sakura."

Rukia looked to the other three mentioned and noticed Kon's confused look her way. She wished she could answer, but even she had no idea what this meeting was about. Sidelining her thoughts she also saw Ichigo and Sakura, staying as far away from each other as possible.

Just what happened in the Land of Iron?

xXx

( The Hokage's Temporary Residence )

After Pein's brutal attack on Konoha, the Hokage's home and office (something many people referred to the Hokage Tower) had been viciously destroyed. Now what stood in its place was a short, stocky building with the kanji for fire painted on its doors. She could only assume this was where Tsunade was, most likely laying in bed, weak and disheveled. Why did she insist on talking to them during the most critical stage of her recovery? It was impossible to think she was actually required to do business after only waking up hours ago!

Entering the building, Sakura expected to see Tsunade lying on her cot, her most-likely-skinny arm reaching up to caringly stroke the face of another, perhaps Shizune or Tom-tom. Sakura could only see the worst possible situation for Tsunade to be in right now, thus when she saw the _truth_she was left speechless.

Tsunade wasn't weak or frail at all! She looked as healthy as a horse! Sitting straight up that crazy woman was shoveling more and more food into her mouth. The batshit woman was positioned before a 15-foot table stacked with nothing but food. Noticing a dark blob in the corner, Sakura looked to see Shizune backed up against a wall, clutching Tom-tom tightly. The black-haired woman caught their entrance and smiled apologetically, her expression saying something along the lines of, _"__I__don__'__t__know__how__this__happened!__" _

The Hokage glanced up to the newcomers, a piece of pork sticking out of her packed cheeks. "There you are!" She said, which sounded more like: "Lher yuu ahh!" Not quite understanding what she said, Sakura just nodded politely. She found it strange to see Tsunade in such fit condition, when the last time she'd seen her she was badly injured and in a coma. Sakura shuddered.

As Kakashi settled himself near Shizune and the four teens got down to sit on the floor in front of the table, Tsunade took the moment of silence to force an unusual large clump of food down her throat. Politely she folded her hands on the table and smiled at the three, especially Ichigo. "Welcome to Konoha, newcomer." She told him, sounding too much like a charlatan. It sounded fake, and proved to be so as she consistently glanced hungrily back towards her food. "While I was, uh, _detained_you arrived here, yes?" Tsunade asked Ichigo.

Sakura refused to look at him, but heard him respond, "Yeah…"

"I see…it's a pity I didn't wake up sooner, I would have liked to see your face when you first looked at Konoha. Didn't expect it to look so _dirty_, did you?" For some reason, Sakura was getting the distinct impression that this would turn out more like an interrogation… Tsunade slowly leaned forward, eyes intently focused on Ichigo. This time Sakura risked a glance is way, only to see he looked blank. Did this not effect him? Tsunade continued, "You're superiors probably suspected Konoha to be glorious…big and prosperous, a _challenge_…"

Oh, no, Sakura could already see where it was headed, but before she could react Tsunade slammed her hands down on the table. The bowls of food wobbled. "_Who__are__you__and__where__did__you__come__from?_!" She demanded, turning her frantic eyes to Sakura, Rukia, and Kon as well. If anything, she seemed almost like she desired drama. It was understandable; after being "away" so long the hard-headed Tsunade wanted to come back with a punch!

"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura rambled, curiously looking at Kakashi who she _thought_had debrief Tsunade on the specifics. "You're probably tired from all this…_eating_." Sakura stood from her spot and retreated to Tsunade's side, trying to coax her back down by gently pushing on her shoulder. "Let's just relax-"

The Hokage roughly pushed Sakura's hands away with such vigor that poor Sakura was sent backwards. Just like when they had fought the Kumo nin, she found that she was pushed so violently she couldn't help herself from falling. Luckily for her a pair of strong arms came to her rescue only moments before her head hit the floor, and when she looked up she saw it was none other than the same person who had saved her the last time. Orange hair, narrow face…it almost made Sakura angry. "_Thanks_," she hissed, forcing out of his arms. She was tired of being saved by him, or any male for that matter.

Reclaiming their seats, Tsunade didn't fail to notice their communication. She accusingly pointed a figurative finger at Ichigo when she spat, "So you're a spy _and_ a seducer?" She then turned her sights to Rukia, "You must be his accomplice." Then Kon, "and you're no doubt the one who lures i-"

Tsunade was stopped by Shizune who interjected by gently doing what Sakura could not and pushing Tsunade into submission. "Tsunade-sama, are you forgetting what Kakashi told you?" She questioned, getting an inquisitive look from the Hokage. Apologetically Shizune smiled at the four teens. "I'm so sorry, Tsunade-sama is still a little drowsy from the medication we gave her. We are aware of your, well, _special_circumstances and we'll do our best to accommodate."

Rukia, being the more political shinigami of the two, shook her head. "No need to give us any special treatment. We don't plan on staying here long." She told them, elbowing Ichigo's arm when she saw the confusion evident on his face. The whole action just screamed, '_Shut__up__and__let__me__do__the__talking._'

The Hokage seemed to be returning to normal. She had her palm pressed against her forehead in a pained manner. Nonetheless the puzzled expression she had on melted away when she once again faced the shinigami, this time much more welcoming with her expression. She glanced from one stranger to another, examining them closely without hinting at what she was thinking. Sakura was pleased; this woman was the sensei she knew and loved.

"I know how you got here," Tsunade started, briefly turning to Kakashi, "but I don't know how you got _here_, in this village. Strangers can't just walk through the gates, and they can't exactly jump over the gate either…" Her eyes flickered to Sakura when the roseate raised her hand.

"It was me, Tsunade-sama. I saw him in the woods and brought him here." Sakura explained. The kunoichi's eyes instinctively went to Ichigo, where they were met by his. A silence passed where the both of them remembered that meeting…the mutual dislike, and the wolf attack. Sakura would have never guessed that the same person she once despised turned out to be a person she…_liked_. Modestly, she averted her gaze.

Tsunade seemed surprised. "You led him in here, Sakura?" She repeated, questioning it thoroughly until she got an affirming nod from the others in the room. "But what about those two, Rukia and Kon?" At the same time as asking the question she confirmed their names, a sneaky tactic for a village leader.

Thus began one rather long explanation which ranged from why Kon and Ichigo were the same to the existence of shinigami in another world. Naturally Ichigo took the reins on this one, meticulously going on about things Kakashi failed to mention, and adding new details that even Sakura was yet to learn. There was no end to how mysterious Ichigo could be, and slowly Sakura felt herself being drawn to him, literally. Every now and then she would be leaning his way, and would have to pull back as to not look suspicious. Still, he did a decent job of making things easy for Tsunade to understand.

Like there should be, there was some shock when Ichigo and Rukia revealed their spiritual identities. Normal shinobi didn't usually believe those sorts of things. In fact, usually death gods (or anything godly for that matter) was something they abhorred. The thought of a bigger being in the course of the universe was frightening, to say the least, and they'd much rather believe in an old myth about the Sage of the Six Paths.

What Tsunade thought about shinigami and other worlds after that point was unknown and difficult to interpret. The woman didn't allow any emotions to show through on her features; throughout the whole explanation process she remained calm and stoic, followed by Shizune who was equally blank. They were just empty blocks sitting at the other end of the table, and if it weren't for their occasional head bob and brief responses they would have seemed more like mannequins. This in itself was a surprising twist, considering Tsunade's violent and unpredictable nature on moments beforehand. That sill worried Sakura, that at any moment Tsunade would not like what she heard and lash out at Ichigo, a very open target for attack. Just on that thought alone Sakura felt defensive, her hand resting on her weapons pouch just in case. Tsunade may have been her sensei, but even that didn't give her the right to harm a hair on Ichigo's head, at least not while Sakura was around.

Luckily, Tsunade took it well, and at the very end she nodding intelligently. "Ah, okay, all right. This is starting to make sense." She commented, turning to nod at Shizune, who completely agreed. For a moment the two women had their eyes on each other, a small twitch in their features indicating some kind of nonverbal communication. Sakura glanced to Kakashi as if he knew what they were conversing about, but he was just as clueless as Sakura.

It was then the Hokage turned back to the four teens before her, her eyes intervolving between Ichigo and Rukia. "Usually we don't house guests such as yourselves in our village…and it would be advised that you take your leave of Konoha, however we don't have the time or the resources to send you out there in the world, to possibly be picked up by other _forces_." Tsunade slapped her elbows down on the table, resting her chin on both her hands. "So we have a proposition for you."

Sakura didn't like the sound of that…a _proposition_? It felt more like extortion was part of their deal. Tsunade had already hinted about the Akatsuki, and the special power of shinigami. The roseate had the sickening feeling that the proposition didn't just _sound_like a form of extortion, but _was_. To Tsunade they must have sounded like a precious resource, but to what?

Tsunade got right to the point. "I would like you, and whatever other friends you may have in our world to fight on our side during the upcoming war." She said it resignedly, but in all seriousness. Something inside of Tsunade must have known what she was asking them to do wasn't right, but didn't seem to care. They were in a time of war, crisis, and all the while simultaneously rebuilding their own village!

Sakura, however, would not stand for it. Having Ichigo, Rukia, and possibly Kon fight in the war was nonsense. Not only was it neither their place nor responsibility, there was also the difference between Chakra and Reiatsu to account for. It was so unbalanced as of yet, not to mention that knowing the exact difference was not possible with Rukia and Kon's current state of training. In order to be well-rounded enough to fight the Akatsuki in such a war would take many more months of training on their part, and frankly nobody had the time. Furthermore, Sakura couldn't stand the thought of Ichigo as a part of the war. If he ended up in her medical tent badly injured she could never forgive Tsunade.

Her emotions seemed to boil over as she blatantly yelled out, "NO!" while clenching both fists tightly. "Tsunade-sama, you don't know what you're doing! There's so much you don't k-"

Sakura was cut short by Rukia. "No, Sakura, she's got a point. We can't just stay here in your village without contributing." For a moment it seemed all hope was lost on the matter with Rukia's submission. Sakura and Ichigo both looked at her desperately, neither of them appreciating the suggestion of using shinigami as a weapon. Luckily, things weren't always as they seemed. "_However_, I mean no disrespect when I say your war is none of our business. We shinigami have never involved ourselves in the politics of the Elemental Nations, thus I ask 'why start now?'"

Kon was feeling bold when he interjected, "Yeah, and we didn't _ask_to come here in the first place! We were forced to come here!"

With all their objections came stress, and to handle it Tsunade closed her eyes tightly and took a deep, relaxing breath. "Listen," she started calmly as she reopened her eyes, "I don't like this as much as you, but it's not an option. The Village Elders will soon know of this, and they will demand your cooperation. The issue will be taken further and further up the latter until it reaches the ears of the Feudal Lords, at which point you will not be able to refuse." She turned to Shizune briefly, and when she got an encouraging nod from her turned back. "It's better to just cut the crap now and agree before arguments get too heated."

Things didn't look too good. No matter how many times Sakura or the others tried to discuss it, it was an utter failure. There was no avoiding the war, and the impending doom it might have on the shinigami. In the end they were kicked out of the temporary Hokage Tower, the discussion coming to a startling end. As it turns out Kakashi had long before implanted the idea of outside help for the war into Tsunade's mind, thus it was now his burden for blame for shinigami involvement. However bad his decision was to alienate the Hokage in such a way, Sakura could not hate him. He was only thinking of the village.

Once outside the tower Sakura, Kon, Rukia, and Ichigo all stood together awkwardly. The sun was setting, and they all looked tired and beat. It was definitely the right time to part ways and rest, but something in Sakura couldn't end it there. Where would Rukia and Kon go? Surely they couldn't cram together in Ichigo's little tent. Sakura felt bad about their living arrangements, but the idea of taking them back to her house was both frightening and exciting.

For an awkward silence Sakura fiddled with her fingers, trying to think of ways to say it, to ask. She didn't usually feel so socially inept when faced with a question. Then again, she wasn't _usually_asking people, especially if one of those people was a person she liked, back to her house. It just felt…weird… Besides, she could already see how her parents would react when they got a good look at Kon in Ichigo's body; no doubt they would suspect their daughter of something that wasn't true.

There, it was settled. Mentally Sakura pushed away the regret of their current living standards. Inside of her she had resolved the guilt she felt for leaving them in that tent, and slowly turned to walk away. With the brief flick of her wrist she waved to them, about to utter a goodbye but was stopped when something large latched onto her leg. Looking down she saw a head of orange hair, but not the same orange hair she was so accustomed to seeing. The feeling of it was different. Disturbed, Sakura kicked her leg out, trying to get Kon unhooked from her limb.

"Sakura-chan! Don't go! Take us with you!" Kon pleaded desperately, the sincerity of his voice causing her emotions to stir. Slowly she lightened her kicks in the air until they all but stopped, allowing Kon to readjust himself on the ground. "Don't make me sleep with _Ichigo_!"

Unlike some, Sakura didn't find Kon so annoying. In fact, she found him funny and allowed a gentle laugh to escape her lips. He looked so helpless on her leg like that, those big eyes looking straight up at her. Although Kon was in Ichigo's body, he was certainly not Ichigo, thus this interaction was not weird or awkward. Humorously she rolled her eyes, shrugging like a cartoon character. "Oh, I don't know Kon…" She told him.

He climbed up her leg further, stopping at her kneecap. "I swear I won't be a nuisance!" He cried.

She laughed heartily, looking up to Rukia and Ichigo. "Well, I admit, my home would be more comfortable than the dirt and a tent on the outskirts of the village…" With one glance back down at Kon she could already feel the direction the conversation would take, thus she already expected a certain answer when she glanced back up and asked, "Do you really want to?"

As expected, she received a resounding "YES." Oh, shinigami were so funny.

xXx

**A/N: **

_Recently I heard my writing is a little rushed, so I did my best to make it slower this time, hopefully things were better._

_I've also noticed that some chapters have more views than the chapters before them. So let me say this: If you haven't read all the chapters, than you should. A lot of the chapters highlight things that are bound to happen in the future. If you look for key words, and you know what you're looking for, you will see some foreshadowing for not only the end of this fanfiction, but it's upcoming sequel currently in the works. So please, read those chapters you have not. Ever chapter (except for 20) are incredibly important to the plotline. So READ!_

_See ya~_

_Dahlia out._


	19. Meet the Parents

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Naruto or Bleach…but if there was an apocalypse this would be the first thing I take. 8D

**A/N:**_This __chapter __is __a __little __OC-ish. __I __wanted __to __give __Sakura __a __family, __and __I __wanted __to __make __her __a __combination __of __her __two __parents__… __coming __up __with __these __characters __was __hard, __so __please __don__'__t __hate __or __flame __them. __Especially __Takehiko, __who __everything __we __know __about __him __we __can __only __assume __from __what __Sakura __says. __So __again, __please __don__'__t __hate __or __flame. __I __usually __hate __putting __OC__'__s __in __manga __and __anime, __but __you __know __what, __Jiryokou __and __Kyomu __turned __out __pretty __good__…_

xXx

( Konoha )

Ichigo admitted it; the meeting with the Hokage had not gone as planned. Although he wasn't sure how Tsunade, Shizune and Kakashi seemed to think it would go, it certainly did not go that way. Before returning to her rabid eating cycles, the great Hokage of Konoha excused the four teens with a furrowed brow and a long shelf of wrinkles on her forehead. She was in no way in a good state of mind after talking with them, Ichigo knew that. Sadly, now it seemed he and his friends would be forced to partake in a war that was not theirs. Ichigo wondered that if he had been a little more welcoming to Tsunade's ideas, the sentence would have been lighter. Of course things were never as clean as that. Their disregard for her ideas only made things worse, and now the shinigami would be forced to fight with the shinobi _on __the __front __lines_.

While heading to Sakura's home for the rest of the evening (a thought that Ichigo was none too pleased about) he couldn't help but send a look towards Rukia and Kon behind Sakura's back; all three of them had the same thoughts about the matter. They simply didn't like the thought of cooperating with the war, and before such a dangerous thing started they needed to find a way home, and fast. Ultimately that pointed to Jiryokou, who was not only the only way home but nowhere to be found! If Jiryokou wasn't found soon, it was likely they would be stuck in the Elemental Nations forever, forced to participate in a dangerous war in which they would surely die. The sheer quantity of Chakra would surely outweigh their measly Ban Kais, even with the training Kon and Rukia were getting.

Oh, but how could he tell Sakura that he intended to leave soon? Although he and she weren't on speaking terms at that moment, that didn't stop Ichigo from feeling sick. No, it wasn't a bad sick, in fact it seemed to be a happy sick; the type of feeling that formed in his stomach whenever he looked at Sakura, and made him feel as if he were floating… But to float away from Sakura, to leave her without warning her? Ichigo was positive such a notion would only make him sicker. And then there was the matter of Konoha itself, if they left so soon there was no telling what would be forgotten. Ichigo had been at the Summit, he had seen Renji with the Suna nin, that to pack up and leave so suddenly, without even offering a bit of their assistance, almost seemed criminal. Especially to Sakura, who Ichigo didn't want to betray like that.

Confined to his own thoughts Ichigo was oblivious in nature, simply following the others through the village. The village was shaping up, piece by piece. There were now more buildings than there were tents, and the piles of wood had been significantly reduced. Even more impressive was the safe fence that ran around the large crater in the center of the village. However Ichigo only glanced at these things. Albeit he was proud to be residing in a village that was so adaptable, he was too caught up in thoughts of the 4th Shinobi War and the eminent doom it would have on all.

The group stopped before a two-floor building, freshly coated with paint. It was a pleasant place, and had a distinct homey feeling to it that reminded Ichigo of Karakura. This place almost felt _normal_. No shinobi, no shinigami, no back-breaking battles or Hollows. This quaint house, as simple as it appeared, was a haven away from the tortures of the world they lived in. Ichigo rather liked it.

However, the group didn't go in. They just stood in front of the building, looking up at it until Sakura briskly turned to face her new friends. She looked puzzled, Ichigo noted. Her lips were pressed and her eyes narrowed a look that she showed more often than not when she was deep in her own thoughts. Thinking Sakura was just flat-out creepy, and the group hesitantly took a step away from her. It was this same face she had on when she devised the plan to train Rukia and Kon. Although said plan had worked wonders thus far, it had still been a lengthy and tumulus process. Thus the group had a bad feeling about what she was coming up with now…

Suddenly she placed both hands on her waist, pushing her weight to one side. "I can't let you in there looking like this." She told them frankly. "No disrespect to you, Kon, but I don't want you to be the Ichigo my parents meet." She looked to him apologetically. ("Oh Heaven's sake…" Rukia muttered.)

Kon didn't seem at all offended, in fact it wasn't even considered an offense; he was far too busy daydreaming about a certain large-breasted Hyuuga. Getting no response from him, Sakura turned her attention to Rukia, purposefully avoiding eye-contact with Ichigo. "So how does the whole body-switch thing work, anyways?" Sakura asked.

One explanation soon became a long conversation as Rukia went over the particulars, explaining not only how it worked by why Kon was there in the first place. Sakura may have liked Kon, but she was in no way interested in his existence. She only wanted to know what they could use as a replacement for Ichigo's body, and when she heard what Kon used to occupy, she smiled. _A __tiger __plushie? _She thought to herself, earning an **Ah! ****What ****a ****wimp! **from inner-Sakura.

The idea of a tiger plushie, or more specifically a stuffed animal, seemed to trigger something in Sakura's mind. The invisible light bulb above her head immediately illuminated the streets, having outshined even the sunset. Before they knew it Sakura was gone, having rushed around the side of the building and disappeared. Ichigo rolled his eyes at Sakura, a typical shinobi. "Why couldn't she just use the front door?" He asked himself. Within moments she returned from where she came, something small and furry wrapped in her hands.

Both Ichigo and Rukia worked hard as they kept their laughter bottled up, making throaty noises from all the effort as they stared at that overly-pink object Sakura seemed to love so much. The kunoichi was cradling the animal in her arms gently. "This," she began, holding it out in Kon's shocked face, "is Inu-chan." Sakura didn't seem to notice the distinct hilarity of the object: pink and fluffy, Inu-chan was as brightly colored as Naruto's windbreaker. Not only that, but the stuffed dog had large floppy ears larger than it's body, and a pair of round eyes accompanied by long, girlish eyelashes. Though it wasn't the actual dog that caused their frivolity, it was the thought of _Kon_as that pink monstrosity that really got them going.

Ichigo watched as Sakura slowly seemed to pick up on their hidden laughter and Kon's uncomfortable stature. In a brief second her face went from confused, to angry. Obviously they were insulting her by mocking her choice of childhood friends. If Ichigo had known that his laughter could harm Sakura so severely he would have tried harder to lock it up. However, he had yet to figure out his own feelings for the roseate, thus the thought of containing himself for her sake never occurred to him. Soon he found his recently repaired ribcage hurting from all the laughter, and was hunched over to ease the discomfort.

Sakura, needless to say, was not amused. "What? What's so funny?" She asked spitefully, forcing Inu-chan in Kon's unwilling arms so she could cross her own defensively. "Yes, I admit that Inu-chan isn't the most modest stuffed animal out there, but it's the only one that made it through Pein's attack…so it'll have to do."

Finally, Kon seemed brave enough to input a word or two. "Can't we just…I don't know…go take a doll from one of the neighborhood children…?" He seemed desperate, but even with his/Ichigo's face contorted in such a pleading way Sakura didn't listen.

"Not with you dressed like that," she replied to Kon, gesturing to his outlandish apparel, which inevitably insulted Ichigo. He liked his T-shirt that, in English, boldly stated '_whateva_' in red on the front. It was one of his favorites, ever since he revealed the secrets of the English and their "txt tlk".

Nonetheless, when things died down and Rukia was able to stand up straight again, the female shinigami forced a smile. "Alright, Sakura. Kon will wear Inu-chan." Taking the stuffed animal from Kon, Rukia set it down on the ground gently. Much to Sakura's surprise –she had never seen something so…impersonal before- Rukia took her tiny bare hand and stuck it right down Kon/Ichigo's throat, apparently reading for something. When she removed her hand, Ichigo's body collapsed and in her palm she held a small green bead-looking pill. "_This_ is Kon." She demonstrated. After being examined some by Sakura, Rukia took back the pill in one hand and picked up Inu-chan with the other. It was hard for Sakura to watch Rukia force the pill in the mouth of Inu-chan, not because the animal was a beloved relic from her childhood, but because she didn't even know her stuffed animal _had _a throat.

Inu-chan came to life as soon as Rukia removed her hand, and Ichigo watched with interest as the stuffed animal came to life, immediately jumping in Sakura's arms. He seemed to like it there, nuzzling her chest…Instinctively Ichigo felt his hands tighten, turning into stressed fists.

Sakura detached Kon from herself, only to hold him further away from her body. "It's a little weird…seeing Inu-chan alive like this…" She mumbled incoherently. In the end there wasn't much time to look at Kon, for there were more pressing matters to discuss. Yet again the animal was set down on the floor, only this time it could stand on two of its paws and had a wicked look to its face. "Kon," Sakura started, "could you hide in my room? It's the open window on the second floor, can you climb up to it?" The fact that Kon was no so small would make it hard, but for some strange reason Sakura believed he could do it.

"Dontcha know who you're talking to?" Kon sniggered, saluting the group before bounding off towards the side of the building Sakura had come from. With Kon gone they could now focus on Ichigo and his body.

Very simply, as Rukia and Sakura held his body up, Ichigo stepped right into it, his spiritual form and real form merging with one another. The Substitute-Shinigami stumbled slightly, both hands out at his sides. It felt weird, after being in his spiritual form for so long, to wear his real body like an outfit. However, something was different…something felt off… "Am I…heavier?" He asked doubtfully, looking to Rukia and Sakura for answers.

Rukia cocked her head to the side, one hand on her chin in a very intellectual position. "Maybe it's all the training Kon's been doing…? All the Chakra Kon's been developing…it's possible that the Chakra doesn't merge with the Reiatsu, but just puts on more weight. Maybe physically you weigh more because of this?" Rukia questioned aloud, curious about it as well. Her guess was the best one they had, and all three nodded to it and went on towards the building.

During the few steps to the door, Sakura made sure to mention a few important details. "My parents are only civilians," she told them, "so they shouldn't be able to see Rukia." Both Ichigo and Rukia nodded affirmatively, as it was already established by the lack of mention that Sakura's family had to be a civilian one. Not once, even through all their encounters with shinobi, had the shinigami seen, met, or heard about any Haruno other than Sakura.

The inside of the house was narrow, but calm. Albeit the colors could be viewed as bland, that was the style for such a traditional house. It was sliding doors and tatami mats everywhere, something most would expect in the Hyuuga or the former Uchiha compounds. Like tradition, the trio removed their shoes by the door, only to freeze when they heard a voice. Sakura was the only one who wasn't bothered by the voice, and there was an obvious reason why.

"Oh Sakura-chan! My lovely!" A female's voice squealed. A flash of pink passed right by Ichigo and ran right into Sakura, barreling her and forcing her into a heavy embrace. From the back they could tell Sakura's mother was about the same height, but her pink hair was long and braided in the back. The woman wore plain clothes, but was nonetheless beautiful, that much was seen when she finally turned to look at Ichigo. He saw the similarity between mother and daughter, but something about Sakura's mother just seemed so much rawer…

Before introductions could be made, a second voice was heard. Deeper, more consistent. "Now now, Kana. Let's not embarrass Sakura in front of her friend." A man said as he approached the group. The man didn't look happy once he looked at Ichigo, who was significantly taller. He was a plain-sort of brunette; nothing about his facial features was very outstanding. It was a mystery at how someone with looks like Kana could be interested in him. Only love would be revealed as the answer when Kana went to her husband and wrapped her arm around his caringly.

Rukia managed to sneak away from the group, mentioning something about Sakura's room and Kon before walking off, leaving Sakura and Ichigo alone to face her parents. Rukia was a lucky person, Ichigo thought, to not be seen by these people. He felt as if they were examining him, like he was a specimen on a lab table.

Kana was nowhere near as skeptical as her husband. She, in fact, had a very jubilant expression on her face as she looked at Ichigo. Removing herself from her husband's arm, she clasped her hands in her lap and bowed politely, followed by her husband. "I'm Kana, and this," she mentioned to the stoic brunette male beside her, "is my husband Reishi." The woman moved to her daughter's side, nudging the roseate in the arm. "So, Sakura-chan, whose this tall friend of yours?" Unceremoniously the woman raised her eyebrows.

Not amused, Sakura took a side-step away from her mother as she gestured to the only shinigami in the room. "This is Kurosaki Ichigo, visiting from…uh…" she paused, nervously shifting her eyes, "Iwagakure. Yeah, Iwa."

Her father nodded understandingly. "That would explain his abnormal clothes." The man paused to stare at Ichigo's shoes by the door; tennis shoes looked so alien compared to the typical village sandal.

The conversation led into a surprisingly modern kitchen. The Elemental Nations were truly a strange place, each village like a mix of the old and new. Although their entrance was entirely traditional, the house in itself was not. They had a small stove that ran on what looked like small logs, and ample counter space. Centered in the middle was a very nice looking table, the legs ornate with carvings. Now that Ichigo took a better look at the place, he saw that most of the furniture was ornate.

As Kana escaped to whatever she was cooking (Ichigo never had a chance to see what it was) Reishi saw Ichigo's curious looks at the furniture and sighed, saying, "I'm a carpenter." It was a very simply answer that made a lot of sense. Ichigo nodded knowingly, his thoughts about the house finally kicking into gear. After all, it would be weird if Reishi wasn't a carpenter, and they still had hand-crafted, slaved-over furniture even after the crisis with Pein.

As Sakura sat next to her father, inevitably across from Ichigo, Reishi turned to her expectantly. His eyes shot from her to Ichigo and back, repeating that cycle several times. "How long is Kurosaki-san staying?" He asked, aided by a delighted Kana who wanted to know if he was staying for dinner.

Her parents weren't the only ones who looked at her suspiciously, Ichigo did too. Just how long did she _think _he was staying? It was likely she was unaware of his and Rukia's intentions to leave the Elemental Nations and find a way home before the War, but she still could have already assumed something pertaining to the duration of their stay. A part of Ichigo didn't want to hear what she thought; for fear that she thought they would stay there longer than they should. Then again, Sakura was a rational girl with rational thoughts, the other half of Ichigo didn't think she would over exaggerate things; that half of Ichigo wanted to believe that Sakura would realize the cold hard truth. The truth being that Ichigo and Rukia could not stay for long.

As usual, Ichigo seemed to be over thinking things. For nothing of that sort was going through Sakura's mind. "Well, that's the think I want to talk to you about…" Sakura murmured quietly, her attention focused at her hands in her lap. Rather than imagining the future, she was more focused on the present, and what answer might give her parents the least grief. "Ichigo needs a place to stay, because the Inn isn't finished rebuilding yet…it'll only be until the Inn is done, I swear." She looked up to her parents, proud of herself for such quick thinking. Although her mother seemed only a little worried, it was her father that scared her. He looked unpleased, and even a little disgusted.

The man cleared his throat nervously, and not being able to look at his daughter and her "friend" straight in the eye mumbled, "I'm not sure…doesn't he already have a place to say?" Excuses, excuses.

Sakura shook her head, her short pink hair fluttering about her face. "Not if you don't count a cold tent." Indeed, the tent was cold. But in shinigami form it was livable, now being back in his body Ichigo was positive he wouldn't last a single night back in the tent.

Surprisingly, Sakura's father was beginning to see the truth in what his daughter was saying, but he couldn't allow such a request completely. Clenching his jaw, he looked to his wife for moral support. She flashed him a gentle smile, and the effects were immediate. Calmly he sighed and stood up from his seat, pushing in his chair as he said, "But only for a night." Leaving the room silent, Reishi strode out and away, not wanting to deal with any more surprises his outgoing daughter may throw at him.

Kana's voice drew Ichigo's attention. "You can stay in Takehiko's old room," she told him from over her shoulder. As Kana returned her focus to cooking, Ichigo looked to Sakura for answers.

Questioningly, Ichigo mouthed the words: "_Who__'__s __Takehiko?_"

Sakura responded by shaking her head dismissively, giving Ichigo the impression that now was not the time. He nodded and looked back over to her mother, trying to decipher the resemblance. He could see it more clearly now. Although Sakura was plainer looking, like her father, she had the same illusive eyes as her mother. Though the appearance of Kana was forgotten when he noticed the issue she was having. Match after match was lit, but poor Kana couldn't seem to get the stove fire started.

At that moment Ichigo didn't know what was coming over him. The thought of fire triggered something in his muscles, and to the amazement of Sakura his hands began to sign. He never learned these signs, and what they meant was alien to him, but for some reason forming those positions with his hands felt _right_. The same thing happened with his lips. A few hand signs and verbal phrases later the stove was finally lit. Ichigo merely gaped at the flames and at his hands. _What __was __that_? He wondered, eyes flaring with excitement. It was something new and fresh, no more boring shinigami stuff for the time being; now he had a mysterious set of jutsu it seemed. The problem was, he didn't actually know what the training through Kon had given him, only that he was now, technically, a shinobi.

Kana looked bemused. "So you're a ninja too?" She beamed, looking at Ichigo closely. "How exciting!" She placed the pot on the stove, continuing her work while taking occasional glances at Ichigo.

Sakura pursed her lips. "Just a genin, okaasan." She informed, slightly jealous that Ichigo managed to pick up that much just from memory. She had never been able to pick up something so fast, at least not when it came to Jutsu. For a brief moment Ichigo truly was the bane of her existence, at least until she remembered her feelings for him.

As regretful of their argument Sakura may have been, Ichigo still did not change; he still felt the same. Continuously Ichigo thought back to his statement, wondering why her fake confession to Naruto had seemed to hurt him so much, and why (of all moments to choose) he chose that specific time to mention it. Ichigo turned his general direction away from Sakura, unable to connect with her at that moment. He couldn't forgive her…at least not yet…

After a very short conversation with Sakura's mother, Kana, the duo quickly excused themselves before the start of dinner with the excuse of "showing Ichigo where he'll be sleeping". Of course, they both weren't very interested in that. Kon and Rukia took priority, as those were two extra guests that Sakura's parents had no idea where currently in the house with them. Both Sakura and Ichigo dreaded the thought of her parents finding out, especially about Kon. No doubt they would forever ground Sakura and permanently ban Ichigo not only from their house, but find a way to ban him from the _village_. Yes, her father seemed to be an extremist.

Half-way up the narrow staircase to the second floor, both she and Ichigo were stopped when her father descended the steps. Instead of floating past them like they suspected, he stopped right beside Ichigo. Lightly grapping the teen's arm, he said, "we need to talk." His words were quick, and strict. Definitely a Haruno trait, Sakura could sound just like that. It was almost ghastly how similar they seemed to be, and how scary they could both be. Thank goodness her father wasn't a ninja, or else Ichigo would be in some very serious trouble.

Without much of a chance to save himself, Ichigo was dragged back down the stairs by one surprised Sakura's father. The man seemed determined to get a good word in with Ichigo alone, for he didn't take the shinigami to the kitchen where Kana currently was. Oh, no, instead he led Ichigo out to the back of the house, outside. Leaving the door open slightly, Reishi made sure to look around the neighborhood. Apparently he didn't appreciate his daughter bringing home a tall stranger with orange hair. The poor guy probably felt like she was going through a stage. Ichigo didn't blame him for being suspicious, if anything Ichigo could understand it. Already he could imagine the days where Karin or Yuzu would bring a boy home, and quite frankly it frightened him.

When it was clear nobody was coming, Reishi took on the offensive. Backing Ichigo up against the wall, he poked a finger at the teen's chest. "What's your relation to my daughter?" He questioned, once again getting the shifty-eyes and momentarily pausing to glance around outside. Still, there was nobody. Reishi sighed with relief, and turned back to Ichigo with extra force and vigor.

Ichigo's eyes widened as he looked at the brown haired man closely. Despite the difference in height, Ichigo felt severely threatened. With a free hand he pulled at his collar. "I'm nobody, sir…nobody at all, completely harmless…" He mumbled, raising both hands in the air at his sides to somehow prove his innocence.

Sakura's father shook his head, threateningly gripping Ichigo's collar. "That can't be true, young man. Don't lie to me." He retorted, loosening his grip until he eventually let go. Ichigo let out a sigh of relief. "I know teenage boys, I used to be one." Reishi stated nonchalantly. "A harmless teenage boy with no intentions towards a girl doesn't go out of his way to meet her parents. Besides, I'd recognize that look on Sakura's face anywhere…" He waved a hand dismissively. Reishi was shocking interesting to talk to when he loosened up.

However, Ichigo was more interested in what Reishi knew about that "look" he seemed to so easily identify. "What look?" Ichigo asked, curiously taking a step in front of Reishi to block him off from the door; Ichigo needed answers.

The man paused to glance at Ichigo peculiarly. "No look in particular, just a general one." He responded, prepared to enter the building again. Predictably he was stopped by Ichigo yet again, who didn't feel that was a good enough answer. Reishi sighed as he ran a hand over the side of her face. "The same look she always used to get when she thought about that Uchiha boy…"

"Uchiha boy…?" Ichigo paused, raking his memory for any conversations that may have pertained to an Uchiha. As Reishi began to walk into the building, Ichigo came up with several memories about an Uchiha, but one specific conversation seemed to stick out. He tapped Reishi on the shoulder to catch his attention. "Uchiha Sasuke, was that him?" Ichigo asked, getting a nod from Reishi. Unfortunately, bringing Sasuke near a Haruno never seemed to end well, Ichigo realized. Reishi suddenly changed direction and once again pushed Ichigo up against a wall.

"Sasuke Uchiha hurt my daughter." He said hurriedly, this time not checking the streets. "He got her hopes up and then smashed them, he crushed her. I swear if you hurt her, even if it's just something small, you'll end up exactly like Sasuke, an outcast. You hear me? Banned, ignored, and avoided. You understand?" Reishi didn't want to see Sakura go through anymore pain.

With a rushed nod on Ichigo's part, the conversation seemed to be over. Reishi retreated back inside the house, leaving Ichigo to relax in the cold air of the evening. In the horizon he could see the sun lowering, but as beautiful as it was he could not take his mind off of the things that Reishi said, or particularly the one thing he said about a certain Uchiha… Ever since the very tearful heart-felt side of Sakura was revealed during one of their conversations, he knew precisely how Sakura must have felt for Sasuke…but to give a specific face, and to give that same face to Ichigo? It didn't make any sense, at least not if it meant certain feelings towards Sasuke had suddenly been built towards him, Ichigo! On to something big, he caressed his chin intellectually. If Sakura's feelings towards Sasuke had been love, and she was now feeling the same towards Ichigo, didn't that mean she loved him (unknowingly or not)?

Ichigo's eyebrow twitched at the thought of love. He scoffed at the notion. "No, it couldn't be." He told himself, chuckling as he walked back into the house.

xXx

From the moment her father stole Ichigo away on the stairs; Sakura had felt like something bad would happen. Knowing her father, he was probably threatening Ichigo with the long samurai sword he had saved during the Pein attack. Of course a sword wouldn't be a very good threat to someone like Ichigo, who dealt with metal and steel on a regular basis. Still, it wouldn't hurt to save Ichigo some of the embarrassment her father could dish out, even if the two of them hadn't exactly been agreeing on everything lately.

However, she knew there was a way to make her father like Ichigo, even if it was just temporary. The great carpenter Haruno Reishi was very picky about appearances, one of the reasons it still remained shocking that he fell in love with Kana, a woman with bubble-gum pink hair, or even why he tolerated Sakura. Nonetheless, there were ways to make Reishi like people, but such ways never involved persuasion, or bribing. Her father ignored trivial things like that. Thus, the only way to make Ichigo liked by him (and the greater majority of the village) was to physically change Ichigo. His orange hair was impossible to change without henge –which, as you should know, he didn't know how to use- but his clothing was not. In fact, there happened to be some very comfortable articles of clothing the teen could wear just lying around the Haruno house.

Sakura figured the conversation with her father would take a little over five minutes, but knowing her father it could be anywhere as short as one. Once her thoughts were gathered, the kunoichi hurriedly ran up the stairs to the second floor, rushing to the first open door she saw. As expected, Rukia and Kon were both in her room, chilling on her bed. Her room wasn't a very big room; in fact, it was smaller than it used to be. With the crater running around the edges of the village, yet to be filled it, Konoha was trying to conserve space by making things smaller. Sakura's room just turned out to be one of the victims of the change. All she had was a bed, and a dresser. Currently occupying the bed was Rukia and a very tired looking Kon.

"He had a hard time getting up to the window…" Rukia mentioned, looking at Kon's pink and exhausted form in a lump against her side. "I had to help him up…you sure you don't have a stuffed animal bigger?" She asked, looking up to Sakura hopefully. Although they didn't show it often, to Rukia and Ichigo, Kon was like a brother.

Sakura shook her head. "No, that's the only one I could save." She responded, tempted to ask if they could use a corpse. However, Sakura didn't think Kon or Rukia would look very kindly to putting him in a corpse, using someone else's body for his own doing. Even though Sakura had access to the morgue, she still wasn't willing to let them use a dead body like that; it was immoral.

With that matter out of the way, Sakura gestured to the door. "I'm going to go look for some clothes for Ichigo." She mentioned. Rukia looked as if she was about to ask 'why?', but once she gave it some thought she seemed to realize the reason. Ichigo stuck out like a sore thumb in their conservative little village. Add his bright, outspoken clothing with his hair and suddenly you've got a walking target for ridicule. That being said it was critical they found something. "He should be able to fit in Takehiko's old stuff," Sakura continued as she walked out from her room and back up the hallway to the next room over. Leaving Kon to rest on the bed, Rukia followed.

Walking into Takehiko's old room was hard. Although her elder brother was not dead, Sakura still felt an insane amount of worry for him. Being an ANBU operative made it impossible to spend time with him family. He was always out and away, on missions, and with his teammates. He never even stopped by to see his family after the Pein attack, and that was the sharpest blow for Sakura and her parents. He could have at least stopped by, just to check. Sakura pushed back her resentment and went to work in his tiny room, opening up his closet and finding some of his old clothes. Luckily for her, Takehiko was a sort of tall fellow as well. Fitting Ichigo into his clothes wouldn't be too hard.

Rukia popped in, leaning against the doorway and looking at Sakura when a stern face; Sakura tried to ignore that. "So, who is Takehiko anyways? Your older brother?" Rukia asked. Upon getting a slow nod from Sakura, she sighed. "I thought so; I saw his picture in the hallway hanging up. He looks a lot like you."

Sakura snickered. It was ironic to think he looked anything like her, considering she would never abandon her family, no matter how busy or powerful. "Must be sibling resemblance…" She muttered, glancing at Rukia from the corner of her eye before turning back to Takehiko's old clothes. Most of it was part of the typical Chuunin uniform, but some of it was just basic every-day material. She grabbed one set of each. "We'll let Ichigo choose," she told Rukia as she passed by through the doorway, and retreated to her room.

xXx

Sakura's father was a piece of work, Ichigo had to admit that. However, at the same time he was forced to acknowledge that he was also an honorable man. So determined to protect his daughter from the shadows, to hide his nature from the only person it was protecting; Sakura. Why Kana seemed to love Reishi so much became apparent. He was a good man, and a good father. Loyal and true, making the man almost like a dog once Ichigo thought about it… Dog thoughts aside Ichigo escaped back into the house shortly after Reishi. He passed the parents on his way to the staircase; both of them seemed stuck in their loving little bubble and didn't even notice Ichigo pass through. Not that he minded, per say, if anything this was a good thing. The attention was off him for once.

Through the hallway he spotted Rukia in the doorway of another room, and almost went up to her when he got a peek inside a different room, or more specifically _someone_inside a different room. Kon looked beaten, almost. Although the Mod Soul was sleeping quietly, Ichigo took a detour into that room. Very quietly he made his way to the open window, shutting it quietly to prevent any more of the cold night air from seeping in. Ichigo froze half-way, watching closely as Kon's sleeping form stirred for only a moment. Sighing, he finished with the window and turned around to face the doorway.

Rukia and Sakura must have had amazing timing, the moment he looked towards the door the two were already walking in the room, both of them holding a small pile of cloth, it seemed. It only took a moment for Ichigo to register that the bundles were not towels, but actual clothes. He quirked a brow; he didn't think he needed to change. Apparently they did, they practically forced the clothes on him. Refusing to change in front of them, he migrated over to Takehiko's old room, which he was yet to know much about. There was a mirror in the room, and once he was done he took a moment to look in it.

He looked exactly like the shinobi he saw outside in the village; whether they were guarding the gates or helping rebuild a building. He had on a light flak jacket with the same swirly red symbol on the back. Whether it was for fashion, or had a true purpose Ichigo put wraps around his biceps, and chest. Paired with pants that reminded him of Naruto's (except they weren't the eye-blinding orange he liked) Ichigo slipped on his sandals, why shinobi would wear those shoes he had no idea. Albeit they were comfortable, he could hardly see himself fighting in them. Distastefully he glanced at himself in Takehiko's mirror, turning to both sides. He may have looked like a ninja, but those who actually knew him knew who he really was; an imposter of sorts. At least, he felt like an imposter in those clothes. As if he was pretending to be something he wasn't…

A picture frame caught his eyes, sitting on the shelf directly above the mirror, or rather it was the pink in the picture that grabbed his attention. Centered between Sakura and her mother was a boy, only a little older than Ichigo, who looked like a smaller version of their father. He had brown hair, and had an incredibly large smile on his face. His eyes glinted with happiness and energy. Ichigo picked the frame off the shelf and looked at it closely. It was a little beaten, no doubt from being a victim of Pein's attack, but it was still in relatively good shape. Both Sakura and her mother seemed happy for the boy…

The door opened and he looked to the side, watching as both Sakura and Rukia froze. What they thought of him he didn't know, but by the way Sakura's face seemed to blush as she quickly averted her eyes told him something. Rukia, being his friend and not of romantic interest, had no reaction but a smile.

"Ichigo! You look like one of them!" She exclaimed, raising her eyebrows as she approached him, turning him around by the arm. She looked him up and down. "If it wasn't for your hair, and that stupid look you always have on your face, I would have never recognized you." She mused jokingly to the taller male. Believe it or not, Ichigo was a little proud of himself for assembling the outfit this way; now he could walk through Konoha without catching any dirty looks, or suspicious glances.

The evening went by without any complications after that. Sakura and Ichigo both put aside their tension when approached by her parents at dinner time. Reishi and Kana noticed the change in Ichigo, but failed to notice how they had seen the same clothes on another person. The fact that they recycled Takehiko's clothing never seemed to occur to the doting parents as they chowed down. With another crisis safely averted, Sakura managed to sneak some extras up for Kon and Rukia, only to learn that Rukia didn't eat in her shinigami form.

When night came Ichigo didn't say much, he merely retreated to Takehiko's old room with Kon in tow and went to sleep. He fell asleep easily, all the while thinking of how happy Sakura seemed to look in that photo, and how he had never managed to see her that happy. There was a mystery behind that picture, but Ichigo was cautious of unraveling it; he knew that now was not the time.

xXx

**A/N:** _Keep __on __trucking! __I __don__'__t __like __this __chapter, __no, __so __you__'__re __free __to __dislike __it __as __you __please. __Just __don__'__t __flame._

_This next chapter is going to feel a little boring (it's meant to be a comical filler), but just hang in there, the action is coming up, and so is Naruto! Yay!_

_See ya!_

_Dahlia out. _


	20. Just A Casual Outing

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or Bleach, they belong to Kishimoto and Kubo, respectfully.

**A/N: **I'm stopping with the italicized author's notes…fanfiction squishes the words together and I have to manually go back and space them out again. 8O

Also, this chapter is shorter than usual. Like manga and anime, my fanfiction has fillers. Plus, I really just wanted Sakura and Ichigo to resolve their issues… o.o

How can they fight the bad guys if their always mad at each other?

Explanation for the delayed chapter will be given at the end of this chapter. I feel like torturing my readers right now, haha…ha…

xXx

( Konoha: Haruno Residence )

Unlike many of the shinobi in Konoha, Sakura did not belong to her own clan. The Haruno surname was nothing but that, a last name. It held no special honors like the Hyuuga did, and it did not control any forces like the Uchiha once did. The Haruno name stood for a small family living in the heart of the village they loved. Their house, luckily, was one of the first to be rebuilt, due to that the noise of construction had ebbed away weeks ago. No longer were Reishi and Kana brutally awoken in the mornings by the sound of clashing metal, or splintering wood. It was pleasantly peaceful.

_Most _mornings it was…at least. That particular morning neither of the two adults had managed to clasp much sleep. They both lay awake with their eyes wide-open, curious and conflicted. Ichigo was the first time their precious little girl (although not so little anymore) had brought a _boy _home; especially a tall, _orange_-haired boy. They had to admit that upon getting to know Ichigo, his hair wasn't so completely…off-putting. Still they remained skeptics. Clever Kana was talented when it came to covering up her skepticism with broad compliments and sparkling smiles. Reishi, on the other hand, always seemed irritated in one way or another, thus pretending to not be would seem counterproductive…

Nonetheless their strategies had worked ever since Takehiko was a little boy. Neither of their shinobi children suspected anything, however they as parents suspected _everything_. The moment Kana saw Ichigo, she was immediately cautious of his burly demeanor. (Only after ignoring that there was only one true way to find out if Ichigo's hair truly was natural...) Ichigo just seemed like such a strong boy, one able to harm her daughter easily. That thought would keep Kana up for weeks.

Reishi was much more curious about Ichigo's family, his origins, and his past. Something troubled that boy deeply. Although he had seen odd-colored, burly boys like him in many different shapes and sizes, he had never discovered one with such a load of internal angst. Somehow that boy was bothered…by what Reishi was yet to figure out.

Even more shocking was the very shocking news they had received before bed. Despite their suspicions against the shinigami, they were impressed with the courage he held. The teen came straight up to Reishi and asked permission to take his daughter on a _date_. Why, this was happening the Haruno adults were clueless. Ichigo and Sakura had so assertively stated that they were "just friends". Kana's doubt had been spot-on. There was definitely something more between the two, and then it was revealed.

Naturally, Reishi was overprotective about his only daughter. He distinctly remembered being Ichigo's age, and the certain topics that always engulfed his mind when he thought of a village girl at that age were unforgiveable to say the least. Although there was no way he could ever stop Sakura from dating and loosing her wonderful innocence, he would damn well make sure she wouldn't date a fool. Thus, like Kana's father had him, Reishi berated Ichigo on end about teenage girls, feelings, and angry fathers while the females in the house were deep asleep.

With everything on their minds, sleep was impossible; excluding the lamentable minutes where they had actually been able to close their eyes. About half-way through the night both adults had turned to their partner, looking for signs of awareness. Unknowingly, they had each feigned deep slumber whenever the other moved. The couple was loyal in the way that they wanted their lover to get a good sleep each and every night, lying awake obviously would disrupt the other.

Early in the morning Kana finally "awoke", stretching her arms high above her head for good humor. Her husband followed the pattern, pretending to be nudged awake by the jostling of the sheets as she arose. Kana smiled at her husband, still in bed, as she slipped on her house slippers and skated her way downstairs. She failed to notice the dark bags under her spouse's eyes, and he had done the same.

What a perfectly matched couple.

xXx

Unlike her deprived parents, Sakura had a wonderful slumber. There was nothing on her mind to disturb her sleeping patterns. She was content with everything that had happened. From what it looked like, all her problems had been solved. The only problem that was left was Ichigo's inevitable departure… Yes, she had considered it, but considering the busy schedule the shinobi were bound to have she put effort into ignoring it. **No distractions**, Inner-Sakura would remind her.

Getting ready for the day was a breeze, especially with Rukia to talk to. Though things were put on hold when Sakura heard the distinct grumbling of a belly; turns out Rukia wasn't completely honest with herself. Her explanation about shikai and actual food was only half-true. She indeed ate, but _not as much_. Modest Rukia had wanted to go her stay in the Haruno house without disrupting the family with her invisible accompaniment. Which was stupid, considered she hadn't eaten anything since Soul Society. Needless to say Sakura snuck a part of her breakfast upstairs for Rukia, who felt obliged to accept.

She was blissfully unaware of the intentions Ichigo had for her, yet that didn't stop her from barging into Takehiko's room with Rukia at her side. The lanky teen was sprawled on the cot, his back rising and falling with his deep breathing. Kon was rested against the teen's side, snoring. Boys will be boys.

Eventually (and with the help of Kana) the girls managed to wake Ichigo and Kon up, though it took considerable effort on their part. Clattering pans and physical damage were not enough, and it took all three of them to roll Ichigo's body over until he finally woke up. With amusement Sakura watched his awareness levels rise until they boiled over, his eyes wide at the sudden realization that there were _three _irritated females hovering above him. Sensing his discomfort, Sakura made a polite hostess as she ushered her mother and Rukia out of the room, a suddenly perky Kon trailing after them.

Soon enough Ichigo made his way downstairs, dressed in Takehiko's old clothes from last night. Sakura had to admit, the real, morning sunlight made a big difference on his looks. He seemed more real in the daylight, and not so annoyingly flawless. Even now she could see the disproportions of his face, which inevitably made him look _better_. Nonetheless, they were still there. Like a deranged lunatic, Sakura picked them out with her eyes. She saw them.

The surprise came when the group was lounging in a common room of the house when Ichigo asked Sakura for a private discussion outside. Sakura agreed, but immediately felt threatened by it once she caught Kon wink at Ichigo.

Sakura stopped to change her shoes but was suddenly pushed out the door by an urgent Ichigo. She glared at him. "Just hold it, carrot-top." She told him, reawakening the nickname she had used a while back. He _didn't _hold it, in fact, her request only made him push her out the door faster.

Arms crossed and foot lightly tapping at the ground, she glared at her "friend" with her narrowed eyes _closely_. The nervousness was evident on him, body language and all. A moment of silence passed where he would scratch the back of his neck, pad the ground with his feet, or just suddenly interrogate a nearby bush with his eyes. Suddenly the ground was the most interesting thing in the world and he couldn't take his eyes off of it. At this Sakura sighed and began for the door. This was her day-off, she wanted to be ready in case Tsunade sent in a request.

A very quick and muscled arm stopped her from walking any further. She once again looked to Ichigo, this time catching his eyes. She felt a nervous itch in her stomach as their eyes locked. The longer the look held, the stronger the itch was. It turned into a burning sensation that spread up to her throat. She felt parched, and speechless. Hastily, the kunoichi evaded any further eye-contact. Even that was no rest, especially not with the sudden and unexplained question Ichigo decided to throw at her after.

She heard him clear his throat, and watched as his arm retreated to his side. "Sakura…" He mumbled, pausing. In the eerie silence she could hear him grinding his teeth. "I know it isn't how you want to spend your day-off, but…would you be willing to, oh I don't know; go on an _outing _with me." The misplaced word "outing" was stretched painfully. For all his captivating qualities, talking to a woman was not one.

Hearing his nervousness made Sakura felt a little braver as she risked a glance back up at his eyes. This time he was the one avoiding contact. She smiled. "An _outing_? Are you sure you didn't mean to say da-" For some unearthly reason, she could not say the word. Or rather, she would not. Her body was rebelling against the very word. In the name of feminism, her nature was against agreeing to such an action. A date was an event where a boy took a girl out to show around town like a trophy, wooing her with his smooth-talking and perpetual gifts. As much as she wanted to agree to be sported around like a trophy, just this once, her general disposition made it impossible.

The nervous feeling between the duo represented a random dance, as it switched from one person to the other. Quite suddenly Sakura was feeling quite self-conscious as she crossed her arms protectively over her chest and Ichigo's posture straightened.

"A _what_, Sakura?" Ichigo questioned proudly. He leaned forward and repeated, "Didn't mean to say _what_?"

Sakura pursed her lips, and seeing the playfulness dancing in his eyes, knew there would be no winning in this masculinity contest. She huffed. "An outing _between two friendly comrades _will be fine," she mumbled dejectedly. Turning around she strode back to her home, a renowned skip to her step.

Unbeknownst to Ichigo, she had an abnormally large smile plastered on her face.

xXx

Sakura stood in front of a mirror for what felt like hours, examining herself as a person and more importantly, a _girl_. She hadn't felt so self-conscious about her appearance in a long time. She looked over herself once, and seeing the plain features suddenly felt very jealous of her mother. Wasn't beauty a part of genetics? How in the world could such a plain, shapeless girl like her be the interest of someone of Ichigo's caliber? In her mind, she was positive he had girls falling all over him back where he was from. She had no idea that it was, in fact, quite the opposite.

He had _hollows _falling all over him where he was from.

Come to think of it, Sakura didn't know much about Hollows, or for that matter, _anything _concerning Ichigo. His life, where he lived, even his age remained unknown. Sakura was left to guess about most of the topics. Perhaps going on this casual "outing" with him might shine some light for her.

Running her hands through her hair once again, the roseate nodded to her reflection before heading out. She had only changed her clothes to her usual, having been dressed in comfy yet unflattering apparel earlier. Unlike Ichigo, she could not look good in anything. There was really only one color she took a liking to, and that was red. Given her abnormal hair color, red seemed to match nicely.

She met Ichigo outside her house, after saying goodbye to Rukia and a suspiciously amused Kon (though not without giving Kon a stern warning about wandering the town aimlessly).Things felt awkward in the air between them, and walking away from her abode they kept a clean distance from each other. Ichigo inquired about their location, and Sakura came too close to saying Ichiraku's. First of all, she had no intention of running into Naruto only for him to throw some of his wild yet comical accusations at Ichigo; secondly, the man that ran the Ramen shop would be sure to take notice of Ichigo, and soon enough whatever private conversation they may have had would be reiterated and spread back to Naruto. Really, her only worry was in fact Naruto. He was an amazing friend, a brother even, and to see him hurt by her "outing" with Ichigo would only ruin her day.

Thus, she shook that option out of her head and instead chose to go to a local Barbeque, where they could grill their own food. Ichigo seemed to like that idea. Without further ado they found themselves in front of the reconstructed building further out of town. Unlike Ichiraku's it was situated somewhere private. Surrounded by trees and plants, the only clear way back to town was the path they came down.

"This is nice," Ichigo commented, looking over the building. His compliment earned a pleased smile from Sakura, who had hoped nothing but that.

They were starting to feel more relaxed and closer to each other already. The walk to the shop had proved itself as a time for bonding, and the tensions between the two easily rolled away. Things would have stayed that way if it hadn't been for the group of girls that exited the building as they entered. There were four of them, all very beautiful and shapely. Sakura expected them to stop and gawk at Ichigo like he was eye-candy which was in fact the norm. Unfortunately, that would have been a blessing compared to how they treated Ichigo.

Their leader, a tall brunette froze in her spot, effectively earning the attention of not only her posse but Sakura and Ichigo as well. She seemed aghast to be looking at Ichigo, and the initial shock morphed into something hateful. Her eyebrows caved into a sharp "V" while her whole stance became tense and agitated. She pointed one finger at Ichigo, and once her friends glanced at them they _all _looked the same; hateful.

Loathingly, the leader waltzed straight up to the tall teen. "YOU!" She spat, quickly stomping on his foot. He cried out, glaring at the female while he reached down to tend to his foot. Now the two were eye-level. "Don't ever show your face _again_." She growled, taking her most accessorized hand and slapping it across Ichigo's cheek.

Sakura winced at it, seeing all those heavy rings on her finger had to have left their mark. Suddenly the brunette turned to Sakura, seeming sympathetic towards the pinkette. "I wouldn't go anywhere with this scum if I were you, sweetie." She advised, before proudly stalking away. Her three equally gorgeous friends all went up to Ichigo, hitting him in various places. The three kicked his leg, punched him in the gut, and elbowed his semi-healed ribcage respectively. Needless to say, Ichigo was not in a pleasant state of mind.

Sadly he collapsed to the ground, curling up as he rolled to his side. "Kill me now…" He groaned.

Sakura's eyebrows were furrowed; she felt no pity for him. "What did you do to those girls?" She asked, hovering over his body. Perhaps her earlier assumptions were right, maybe Ichigo really _was _a ladies-man, a Casanova, a playboy. Only his attempts didn't work out like they did for James Bond, or more fittingly, Uchiha Sasuke.

"I have no damn idea," he responded painfully, rolling to his back and just laying there. His eyes wandered from the blue sky to Sakura's face. "I've never seen those girls in my entire life," he warned her, running a hand over his face, "It had to have been Kon…that rat bastard."

Thinking it over, Sakura felt very sorry for him. Had Kon known about this all along? She shook her head and offered an apologetic hand to Ichigo. "You're not too injured to stand up, right?" She questioned while helping him to his feet.

He brushed himself off. "Are you kidding me? Four girls are nothing. Now, four girls and an angry _kunoichi_ is something else entirely." Taking Sakura's skeptic look into account, he coughed and continued on proudly. "I've seen worse."

"Oddly enough, I don't doubt that…" Sakura mumbled, leading Ichigo into the building. She felt very forgiving, and made sure to be seated at one of the closer booths. That way Ichigo (who hurt in his left leg) wouldn't be forced to walk a very far distance just to sit down.

Once at the table, both teens sat very traditionally. During a normal outing with friends, Sakura would have crossed her legs longingly and would be leaning against the wall, whereas Ichigo would have one elbow on the table as he also sat cross-legged and looked to his companions. Instead, both teens were doing further damage to their prides by sitting flat on their own legs, ankles painfully behind them. All in all, it looked like a very informal Tea Ceremony.

When it came time for the food to come, they silently placed it on the grill. Neither teen knew what to say, or how to start a decent conversation. It wasn't anything like pure speechlessness. Instead, it felt more like stupidity on the both of them. They both knew how they felt, and they both had a general idea of what the other felt for _them_. Thus their situation was bound to be awkward.

Waiting for the beef to sizzle, Sakura focused her attention on the grease. She watched it spit and splatter on the grill, the fat on the meat somehow reminding her of warfare. She smiled at that thought that somehow the meat being symbolic for warfare of something else messy and disorganized. She used her chopsticks to place the finished meat on her plate, curiously glancing back up to Ichigo, who hadn't said a word.

Of course, there was a very distinct reason behind his silence, and Sakura felt like a fool for not noticing it earlier. Quite simply, he was _watching _her. He was leisurely leaning over the table, looking straight into her eyes. However, this time she did not turn away. She couldn't just avoid that look, the look of sheer brilliance Ichigo often showed. He always had that face when he knew something he thought nobody else did, or he thought of something clever. This was Ichigo, after all. Sakura was very sure she knew enough about him to conclude that point…then again…

Using his own chopsticks to get his meat, he eased the tension (and perhaps even the sparks that went off when they made the initial eye-contact) between them. He seemed smug. "You know, I know so much about you, Sakura." He started, glancing down at his plate idly. "About your family, your friends, your strength…It's really a lot now that I think about it."

Sakura took a hesitant bite of her food. _Where is this going? _She thought to herself, _and since when did Ichigo start thinking for the fun of it?_

Taking note of her peculiar expression, Ichigo went on. "I mean, I know so much about everything here now. But here I'm like a mystery. Aren't you the least bit curious about me, or where I'm from?" He swallowed one of his small pork pieces whole. "Did you even think about where I'm from, or the possibility of me being a spy before you accepted going on a da- uh, _casual outing _with me?"

Sakura pursed her lips like she usually did when she questioned something, this time that something being what Ichigo said. Quickly, she shook her head in denial. "You couldn't be evil; you would have been taken into captivity if that were true. A spy doesn't stay free too long with the Hyuuga clan here…"

Call it a face palm, or the brute physical contact between a face and a hand, that was precisely what Ichigo felt like doing. Sakura was missing the point. "Forget about me being a spy, or evil. I'm just me, good ole me." He nodded to her, eyebrows raised in anticipation. Would she get it, would it connect?

She in fact got it, but not after a pause and a moment of embarrassment. Eyes finally averted, her palms suddenly felt very sweaty. Her eyes wandered the room before switched back to Ichigo. _Dear Kami, why does he always have to look so attractive? _She thought nervously. "So, what? You want me to ask about your family?" She mumbled in response.

He shrugged and leaned back, nodding somewhat. "My family, friends, schooling; the basics. Don't you want to know?"

Was he challenging her? That fiery gleam in his eyes made it _feel _like a challenge. Sakura's own eyes narrowed into little slits. "Of course I do, but why don't you just tell me these things?" She shoved more food into her mouth, and while chewing, unceremoniously stuttered, "I mean, we're on the subject now, aren't we?"

Good old Sakura, always being the very opposite of womanly. Ichigo chuckled at her comment. "It wouldn't be very fun that way." He told her, quirking an eyebrow upwards, which earned Sakura's admiration and jealousy. Like most females, she had tried to do that with her eyebrows but with no avail.

Realizing there wouldn't be another opportunity to avoid or ask about his life, she humored him by engaging with the questions. She asked various questions- ranging from family to what he liked to eat- which were some times reversed and asked right back at Sakura. Ichigo told her all about his life, and Karakura Town. _Especially _Karakura Town. She seemed the most interested in a new world, one full of all the technological wonders as his homeland. Even so she still seemed interested in his family, evidently his two little sisters. (Imagining Ichigo as an older brother was, she had to admit, difficult.) Even better was how respectful Sakura's demeanor about certain things were, like when it came to his mother. She didn't question his lack of mention of a motherly figure, and he greatly appreciated that.

By then the initial awkwardness had died down to something warm and comfortable. Both parties were sitting normally, pleased with how easy it soon became to speak to one another. It was especially easy to do if they omitted the word "date" from all their conversations, even if the word was pertaining to time. Neither of them had much experience with dating, but by the end of the day they felt they had a pretty good grasp of it.

In other words, their casual outing had gone fairly well.

xXx

**A/N**: Yeah, so by now you might have noticed that I've just been unloading filler crap on all y'all. Don't worry, this chapter is the LAST of the fillers. The action is coming, just hold on. I just felt like Sakura didn't know enough about Ichigo besides his relation to Rukia, Kon, and Renji. A "casual outing" seemed to be the best opportunity for her to get to know him better. It's illogical for her to feel strongly about a person she hardly knows. Just sayin'…

Well, here you go. My explanation. So sorry about the long distance between uploads. My internet stopped working, and I mean stopped. I always knew my connection was faulty, but about five days ago it just stopped working. Every page I tried went straight to "no connection", it didn't even _try _loading. So, whatever. Now my comp is just a writing device, and I have to back-up all my chapters on my flashdrive, transfer them to my mom's laptop, and upload them there.

So you can expect space between chapters. If you WANT me to combine two chapters into one (essentially making one longer and more worth your wait) just tell me in your review, and I'll certainly do so. I just want to make sure the waiting time seems fair.

See ya.

- Dahlia


	21. Danger

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or Bleach, nor do I own their characters. So please, keep that in mind. I don't want to name names here, but…

**A/N**: I'm pissed. Steaming. Fuming. My STUPID flash drive has decided to grow legs and run away. I was half-way done editing chapter 21 before I lost it…Now I must start from scratch from the files I had saved on my computer already. This chapter probably won't be as awesome as it was before…sad, so sad. I swear I had the junk drive downstairs by my class picture, and next thing I know everything's been moved to accommodate Christmas décor. Thus, the drive is lost. I blame my mother.

On a better note, I finally get a chapter in using Naruto's POV! So happy! I love Naruto! I just hope I portrayed him right…

xXx

( Konoha: Ichiraku's Ramen Shop )

Damn those shinigami.

Truth be told, Naruto rather liked Rukia, and even Renji. He got quite a kick watching Renji beat up on Ichigo for that brief second in the Land of Iron. Renji got to hit Ichigo in a way Sakura would never allow Naruto to. The blond sighed, slumping further on the wooden barstool he currently sat on. Yes, he liked Rukia, Renji, and Kon, he just _didn't _like Ichigo.

The teen had his own special reasons for disliking Ichigo so severely. First of all, the tall brute spent so much time captivating Sakura with his foreign phrases, stories, and all around aura. It was sickening. Before Ichigo, Naruto thought he was getting fairly close to Sakura's heart, and not just as a friend. He thought that perhaps he could help erase Sasuke's painful memories and replace him in Sakura's heart. Oh, but not anymore it seemed. Not with Ichigo here.

However, it wasn't his choice who Sakura liked and who she didn't. She had free reign of her emotions, and Naruto was a kind soul. He couldn't hurt or go against Sakura's wishes, no matter how painful they were for him. When she liked Sasuke, there was nothing he could do but playfully ask her to reconsider. Slowly he'd gotten closer, but apparently not in the way he wanted. He wanted to be her boyfriend, not _brother_.

Alas, all Sakura saw him as was her brother. He could tell. She felt sorry for him because she could never return those warm feelings he desired so. But with Ichigo it was different. That shinigami had the right amount of pizzazz to reel a woman in and keep her there. His looks were spot-on, his jokes perfectly time, and although (to Naruto) his personality was spotty at best, he had an impeccable way with people. There was no possibility that Sakura would ever like Ichigo as a brother. He was too much of a hero to be seen like that.

A hero… It wasn't too long ago that Naruto was being held on the shoulders of proud and happy villagers cheering his name. He saw Sakura's face then, and he'd felt a glimmer of hope that she'd finally seen him as a man… Oh how close he was! Just a few more weeks and Naruto was determined to show the real man he had the potential to be. Yet he had been so distracted by the sudden welcoming vibe of the villagers that his real goal had been lost. Sakura laid forgotten in the deepest part of his mind while he went about the reconstructed Konoha, greeting and smiling at people who had once hated him like there was no tomorrow.

Still, even with his growing popularity, one problem remained: the Kyuubi. It may have been a helpful power, but Naruto resented the creature like he did Ichigo. He was jealous of its power, but knew how dangerous using such power could be. Perhaps it was the Kyuubi that kept Sakura at a distance, for Naruto was _sure _there wasn't any dark beast deep inside Ichigo. That shinigami was too modest, too pure to be infected by a dark force.

Pure…? Infected…? Naruto rubbed at his eyes hastily, unsure where his thoughts were turning. He decided to blame the awkward change of pace in his mind on the Kyuubi. For years it tried to poison him with its sick thoughts. He had to admit, it was hard to ignore all the sense the Kyuubi sometimes made. For example, only a day ago the Kyuubi was urging Naruto to take action against Ichigo and kill him.

Naruto pulled himself out of his head, his glazed eyes taking in the worried faces of the Ichiraku owners, Teuchi and Ayame. Teuchi stood over a cooking pot, curiously glancing to Naruto from the corner of his eyes, while his daughter Ayame leaned on the makeshift counter intently zeroed in on Naruto.

"Something wrong, Naruto-san?" Ayame kindly asked, hands hesitantly being wiped off on a rag. Once finished, she hung the rag back on the unpainted wall. Luckily for Naruto, Ichiraku had been one of the first buildings rebuilt, not because he liked it so much, but because it was near the center of the destruction.

Being the kind-hearted person he was known as, Naruto modestly scratched the back of his head, saying, "No, everything's fine. Good. Dandy." He paused to give a typical devilish grin. "Just thinking of how much I've missed ramen!"

Both Teuchi and Ayame laughed, but only one of them truly believed that. Teuchi focused more on his work, now convinced that everything was alright with Naruto. Ayame, on the other hand, was not so easily swayed. Her eyes didn't look away, despite her hearty chuckle.

"You are the Village Hero, I can imagine how busy you must be now." Ayame praised, closing her eyes in a delicate smile. "Ramen must take a back seat to all the action, huh?"

He shook his head in agreement. "You better believe it." His response was almost _too _quick, something he would be a utter fool not to notice. Silence ensued the small shack, in which both Naruto and Ayame had forced smiles plastered to their faces. Neither knew how to continue, but both understood that they needed to ease the tension and make the other stop worrying.

Luckily for the both of them, Teuchi was done with the ramen in no time. Prepared and displayed nicely in a bowl he slid it right in front of Naruto. The old man smiled honestly, and the other two in the shack released theirs with a sigh.

"First ramen made since this place got reconstructed. Go ahead, try it." Teuchi urged, pushing the decadent food closer to Naruto. "I wanna see if it tastes any different than before." His eyes gleamed with the eagerness of a Boy Scout first learning how to tie a knot. It was almost comical. Ayame giggled at her father and leaned on his side, wrapping her arm through his and looking to Naruto earnestly.

Naruto looked to the bowl hungrily, and although he wasn't completely happy or serene, he came close to it. It was lucky for him he had no idea Ichigo and Sakura went on a date just the other day, if he had he would have been crushed to a point that even ramen could not help. However, that was not the case, and his severe judgment on Ichigo was completely washed away with the thought of slurping his first bite.

Yet there was so much pressure. Both Ayame and Teuchi watched him closely pick up the chop sticks. Naruto felt his palms go sweaty, making it hard to grasp the sticks properly. He glanced from the bowl to the duo and back again. They were incredibly serious about this… Gulping, the teen shrugged off his anxiety. He knew what to do.

First bite was taken leisurely, the noodles being shoveled into his mouth. The shinobi slurped it down, one of the happiest smiles he could muster growing bigger and bigger by the noodle. His reaction was not fake, falsified. This was honest Naruto, taking a slow and delectable gulp of honest ramen; and he loved it. Indeed it had been so long since he lasted tasted the broth-y goodness that was Ichiraku's cooking! There were no words to describe the sensation in his mouth.

The paper drapery in the front of the shop was ruffled by a newcomer, causing Naruto –with a thick trail of noodles hanging out of his mouth- to swivel over and look. He was as pleased as day to see it was just Sakura, alone. The fact that he was unattractively slurping noodles at the time didn't seem to faze him.

Ayame and Teuchi, taking her entrance as a sign to give her and Naruto some space, went back to working with noodles, despite their obvious lack of customer. Nonetheless, Sakura owed the two. She did in fact need a private moment with Naruto.

As the roseate took a seat next to Naruto he gulped down the rest of his ramen, unsurprisingly. She smiled, happy to see that he hadn't changed since all that had happened to them. The smile fell when she reminded herself of her reason for being there, and what would have to happen next. Naruto noticed her smile fall, and instantaneously his happiness was drained as well.

"What's the matter, Sakura-chan?" Naruto inquired, turning to face her with his arm resting on the counter. Teuchi quietly slipped by and took the bowl away.

Sakura bit her lips, and from what he could see, was fighting back tears. She didn't say much, except "Tsunade wants to see us" and even that was hardly enough. All Naruto could imagine was that something had happened, and it involved a mission of some sort. But to send obviously distraught Sakura to fetch him? It had to have been serious, Tsunade trusted Sakura…

The two quietly left the shop, walking through Konoha until they came to the constructed replacement for the Hokage Tower they had been to only two days ago. Naruto followed Sakura into the building. Inside, Tsunade sat at a desk with Shizune and Kakashi flanking either side. Also in the room and lining the walls were Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino. Naruto was focused on all of the sullen faces in the room.

Tsunade stood up and walked to the front of her desk, leaning against it. "I'm glad you could join us, Naruto." She stated glumly, jaw clenched. No, her obviously repressed anger was not because of Naruto's late entrance. There was a whole matter besides that one that he was yet to know, but would know soon.

Shizune stepped forward and placed a hand on Tsunade's shoulder encouragingly. It was known that sometimes Tsunade felt too emotional and attached to certain missions and people, and when that happened Shizune was always there for support. The medic nin glanced once over the group, before stating, "There's been a kidnapping."

Tsunade roughly rested one hand on the file on her desk, pushing it forward for all to see with her knuckles. "Three days ago, Hinata Hyuuga was sent to accompany former Genin Team 10 on a covert mission to a former Orochimaru hideout. We have reason to believe that Kabuto is taking refuge in several of the old bases, and sent them to scout out the surrounding area."

This is where Tsunade looked tense, her knuckles a pale white while she kept her hands in tight fists. She took a deep breath. "About six hours ago they were scheduled to report back to Konoha. So far, we have received nothing. A second group we sent out found a dead wolf summons at their last known location…"

Shizune took it over from there. "We think they were discovered and taken captive, and during the struggle they killed one of the summons."

Naruto quirked a brow. "There were more wolves?" He asked.

Sakura nodded her head. "Wolf prints in the woods suggest at least three others, and a person."

Naruto ground his teeth together, not liking the sound of things. Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji were out at that base somewhere, likely dead. His friends…his comrades. Solemnly he smiled, "I bet they gave their captors a shitload of trouble."

All in the building seemed to nod at his comment. Yet they all seemed to be in disbelief about it, Naruto included. Those four were some of the strongest shinobi, that it almost seemed unlikely for them to be taken captive so…_easily_ and without word.

Kakashi ended the eerie silence by clearing his throat. They all looked to him. 'That being said, there isn't much time to save them before they're killed, or relocated. We have to act fast." He crossed his arms.

"Yes, that we do." Tsunade agreed, quickly looking to Sakura. "Sakura, you and Ichigo encountered similar wolves outside Konoha before, is that right?" Tsunade got a hesitant nod. "Good. I want you to assemble a team, Ichigo included, to go to the location and rescue the team. Shino and Kiba are free and willing to aid," she sternly looked at Naruto, "and I expect you to go with them, Naruto."

The Hokage sighed, strolling back to her seat. "Normally I would never send a team so emotionally-invested in a mission, but I believe that in this case that is the best course of action to take. While you gather your team, Kakashi will give you the mission specs." Tsunade glanced longingly over to cabinet on the far side of the room,

"I need a drink…" she murmured.

xXx

( Konoha: Third Training Ground )

Rukia was happy to be surrounded by her friends, Ichigo and Kon both sitting on tree stumps next to her. The fact that the grounds had sentimental significance to their shinobi allies was unknown to them, and even if they had known it wouldn't have changed much. They still treated the place like it was just that, a place. Sitting on the stumps leisurely, she lightly punched Ichigo in the arm.

"So, how'd it go?" She asked, raising her eyebrows in reference to all the "fun" he must have had on his date with Sakura. Ichigo was easily appalled.

"What? NO! No, no…no… Don't raise your eyebrows like that, nothing happened." He told Rukia, including Kon with his warning. "It was just an innocent outing, first of all, and we just talked."

Kon snorted crudely, his little stuffed animal body looking (and probably feeling) out of place.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. Being friends with these two was starting to take its toll, he could already feel the creases on his forehead from all the times he had to knit his eyebrows together…precisely like he was doing now.

The senior shinigami sighed. "Fine, fine, we'll drop it." She told him, glancing to Kon before continuing, "I mean, _I _will drop it, for sure. There's no way to be sure about Kon, though." Rukia scratched her chin suspiciously yet in a playful way. Teasing could be fun when you did it right.

Ichigo chuckled. "You're right. He does seem a little questionable." He responded, taking yet another look at his surprisingly girly body. Who knew Sakura owned such a stuffed animal…

Kon crossed his arms in defiance and turned away from the duo, ignoring them completely. "Onee-san, Ichigo, you are cruel…" Fake tears seemed to loll down his furry cheeks.

Both reapers smiled and chuckled, looking at one another amusingly. "Anyways," Rukia mumbled, hugging her knees to her chest, "since we can't talk about your 'outing', and we can't mock Kon, there's only one thing left to talk about…business." There was a sort of serious gleam to her eyes that changed the whole atmosphere of the training ground. "How does your body feel, Ichigo? This is the third day you've been in it since Kon's training."

Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly. "Heavier…I think. And it's not gained weight or anything, I just feel _loaded _down with something. Probably the Chakra, right?" Rukia nodded in response. "Right," he continued, "did I mention that sometimes I will be signing a Jutsu, and it's completely out of the blue. I lit Kana's stove for dinner with fire…how?" He turned to Kon for answers.

The toy looked over his shoulder and curtly said, "Weak fireball Jutsu."

The teen pretended like he knew what Kon was talking about and nodded. "Ahh…"

With the lack of conversation, Rukia occupied her interest by looking over the training grounds. If it hadn't been for their silence, she would have never noticed the figure approaching from the distance, or more specifically, the _girl _approaching. It was easy to tell who it was considering Rukia spent two nights at her house, hovering around her parents like a ghost.

However, something about Sakura was off. The kunoichi usually had a pleasant and content sway to her walk. Instead she seemed like a statue on rollers, sliding down the hill of the training grounds at an alarming pace. Rukia felt her forehead crease with confusion, and it was that single look that enabled Ichigo to glance in the direction. Soon enough Kon was also looking that way. Needless to say they were all surprised to see Sakura in such a mood.

At first Rukia saw it as anger. The rosette's eyes were ablaze, and her fists seemed clamped together painfully. Then again, the glossy lines on her cheeks looked faintly like dried tears. _Is she sad _and _angry? _Rukia wondered. Knowing Sakura, that was a possibility. Nervously, Rukia glanced away. Angry Sakura, no matter how much she liked the girl, was a force to be reckoned with. Rukia distinctly remembered how Sakura knocked over her armoire just to squash Kon, who had been searching her room for "unmentionables". Luckily for Kon, Sakura missed. Barely.

Sakura approached the group. "Ichigo, get ready to leave." She called as she got closer, her voice frighteningly solid. The teen barely had enough time to register her emotions or what she had said before she barked on, "well hurry now! We don't have all day!"

Sakura must have seen that her harsh orders weren't working, or at least that's what Rukia thought. For the distressed kunoichi walked right up to Kon and stuck her hand down his stuffed throat. "This is how you do it?" She questioned, eventually removing her hand with the small bead in grasp. Rukia felt aghast. Sakura was so forward.

About to shove the pill down Ichigo's throat, Sakura was stopped by Rukia who calmly took the bead away. "Let me take care of this," the shinigami spoke, using her free hand to pull out a glove from a mysteriously hidden pocket. The glove was black, probably leather, and had a goth-looking skull on the front. Rukia looked to Sakura, "Observe," she said amusingly, before jumping up and slamming her gloved palm right down on Ichigo's forehead.

As the hand came down his body crumpled to the floor, the familiar soul form of his standing behind it. Ichigo was not amused. "It just gets better and better!" He muttered sarcastically, shooting daggers at Rukia with his eyes alone.

Quite suddenly Sakura took his hand. "Good, now we go." As she began to drag his protesting form away from the group, she looked to the ever flabbergasted Rukia. "Continue your training with Ebisu. Kakashi-sensei can tell you where we're going, but there's no time now."

Rukia looked at the bead in her hand unhappily. "Why does Ichigo get to go?" She called back as the two rounded the corner of a tree. They were already out of sight, leaving Rukia with Kon. One glance over at Ichigo's body and she envisioned all the more trouble Kon could cause in Ichigo's body, and how she would still be here to babysit.

The reaper's shoulders fell. "Seriously…why does Ichigo get to go?"

xXx

( Konoha Gates )

It felt more like an ambush than it did a rescue. That comparison resurfaced constantly not only in Ichigo's mind, but in Naruto's as well. For all their differences, they felt the same about the mission: too many people. Both boys stood by the gate, arms crossed, taking the needed time from glaring at each other to learning the details of the mission.

Honestly, Ichigo wasn't so sure why he needed to be there. He may have had experience with the wolves, but then again, so did Sakura. Furthermore, it would probably be safer if he stayed. Going on the same mission with Naruto was risky, Ichigo still felt like he hadn't gotten his payback for their little fight in Land of Iron. Even now he remembered Naruto's harsh words and felt the urge to knee him in the groin. Oh, how that thought brought a smile to his face. Ichigo was only trying to be nice in the Land of Iron, but that intent was long gone. It's human nature to want to get back when someone beats up on you, or so Ichigo thought.

Still, the two agreed in their own little silent communication: there were too many people. Sakura, Shino, Kiba, Akamaru (yes, a giant dog does count), Naruto, and Ichigo made six people. For such a quick mission, it almost seemed safer to go with less people. That meant less people to worry about during a fight, and less people to slow you down.

Yet another similarity between Naruto and Ichigo was their desperate need to be alone, and solve their issues by themselves. Just like how Naruto refused to accept Sakura's help when it came to training, or the Kyuubi; Ichigo would refuse her help when it came to his Hollowfication and abnormal Visored status. Then again, he never planned to tell or show anyone that side of himself. Not only when it give Naruto reason to brag and mock, it could possibly scare Sakura away.

Then again, with her snarky and bossy attitude, scaring her away almost sounded nice. Standing by that gate _right next to _Naruto was utter hell. If it had been Ichigo's choice, he would have stayed as far away as he could, however Sakura was the leader of the mission. Despite his mutual dislike of Naruto, he had to stand by the blond. Apparently there was a specified order in the line: Kiba first to use his keen senses to track; Shino next to ward off any sudden attacks in the front; Sakura in the middle for easy medical access; Naruto next to provide the same protection Shino did; and finally there was Ichigo in the rear to cover their tracks. Easy, right…? Not when your two finalists are constantly quarrelling.

On the other side of the gate stood Tsunade, Kakashi, Rukia and Kon, all to wave goodbye. Ichigo was grinning wildly at Rukia, who was obviously jealous of Sakura's "elite team". Anyone who had ears understood that Rukia wanted to go with them, but knew her current place. As a shinigami, she and Ichigo were considered equal. But as a shinobi, Ichigo was winning. Kon was shockingly good at learning jutsu, and many of his little tricks were being picked up in Ichigo's muscle memories.

There was also another reason Ichigo was better suited for the mission. He actually _cared _about the people they were saving, and was going not for the sake of going, but for the sake of Sakura's friends.

Tsunade approached the group, or more specifically, Sakura. She looked deeply into Sakura's green eyes, determination evident. "Catch the bastard and save your friends. Those are some damn fine shinobi he has locked up." She said sternly, patting Sakura on the side of the shoulder. Even during all the years of their apprenticeship, Tsunade remained as cold and distant as ever. Even so, she cared about her village and the people inside. Saving Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji was not an option.

Ichigo watched as an unheard conversation went between on between teacher and student, only to be heard in their heads. Sakura seemed to be nodding at everything Tsunade whispered, and although it was hard to tell, he swore he could see Tsunade's eyes glisten, even just a little. It was probably hard for the Hokage to send Sakura out on such an important mission and not go herself. Nonetheless, Tsunade trusted Sakura.

Eventually, though, Tsunade and the others who weren't a part of the mission had to go off and do their own things, leaving Sakura the center of attention. She collected herself, but not without a little encouragement on Naruto's part. That was fine, cool even. Despite Naruto's smug look sent to Ichigo, the shinigami was content in knowing that while Sakura was near Naruto she was mostly looking at him. Ichigo just returned the favor by smiling at her before turning to face the vast foliage before them.

"All right, let's get a move on." Sakura told them, taking her place in the middle. Before they knew it they were off and away, Konoha shrinking to the size of a dot in the distance prior to disappearing altogether. Ichigo watched it go, disappear into nothing. Almost as if he had never been there in the first place.

xXx

**A/N: **Kidnapping! Fun, right? We're finally at the action!

Plus, this arc really explains who my OC, Kyomu, is. You can kind of see his uncertainty and quirkiness in the later chapters. This is going to be some really fun shit.

Consider this chapter your Christmas Gift from me! If I get a lot of nice reviews I might consider uploading the next one (which I have done early) earlier, as in a few days. *wink* GO 101 REVIEWS! WOOT!

Catch ya later, alligator.

In a while, crocodile

~ Dahlia


	22. The Mission

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or Bleach. I do not own Naruto or Bleach. I do not own Naruto or Bleach. There, three times. Do I get a good noodle star now?

xXx

( Seven hours ago: Orochimaru Base #83 )

Frogs, snakes, and snails and/or slugs were popular summons, each animal appealing to a different type of shinobi. If one is looking for a sense of stability and serenity, snails or slugs is the best way to go. Then again, if one is more sinister than the average being, an intimidating creature like the snake would be more compatible. Frogs, on the other hand, were quite a good option for shinobi always looking to the future, the Fourth Hokage being the best example of that. When it came time to choose his summons and sign a contract _for life_, Kyomu wasn't at all very sure which one best suited him.

Kyomu was a combination of all the animals, really. He was ambitious, sinister, and stable in the right mind. Yet there was also something else eerily prominent in his personality that made it utterly impossible to choose; his easy-going nature and impressionable attitude. Kyomu was just a meager medic nin with a taste for science when Kabuto found him. He liked to dabble in the arts, and train to protect.

Oh, how the wolves remember the moment Kyomu and Kabuto first met. Their true leader, Kabuto, had been watching the poor fellow for weeks, trying to determine whether or not he would be a good companion. Once decided, he made it very clear who the wolves would soon belong to… Needless to say, the wolves were unimpressed by Kyomu and not too happy about being signed off to him. They much preferred Kabuto over Kyomu, but had no choice.

The scandalous animals had to admit, however, that Kyomu was a good fit for wolves. That man was so easy to control, that he almost _needed _someone to give him instruction. He was incapable of taking his own orders, and had literally no imagination. The wolves proved to be good partners. Under Kabuto's puppet-master lead, they could whisper things to Kyomu like they were voices inside of his head. In this twisted relationship, the wolves were the master, but Kabuto was the ringleader.

Even so, it was a boring life with Kyomu. The only excitement the wolves had in those dreadful few weeks was their encounter with the outsider shinobi and his pink-haired companion. Those two put up a good fight, and caught the wolves off guard. But they weren't about to let those two get the best of their pack. Oh no, the wolves thirsted for revenge and the blood of the shinobi who killed one of their brothers only hours prior.

They were always out scouting, and were keen to notice when shinobi from the same village as the pink kunoichi came too close to the base. Uncritically they attacked, and lost the life of one of their own. Suddenly they were out for blood, and had no honor for the rules that governed their life with Kabuto and Kyomu. For the first time since they were first taken from their nomadic lifestyles, they rebelled and ignored Kabuto. Overthrowing the ringleader was easy, considering he was never there.

Like his conscience, they whispered ideas into Kyomu's mind. Ideas, suggestions, you name it, they said it. Before they knew it, Kyomu was considering taking the invaders into custody himself, without Kabuto's consent. That was precisely what he did. Shadow clones and all, Kyomu needed no help from his furry companions when it came to capturing the Konoha shinobi.

Quite braggingly, the wolves currently strolled outside one of Kyomu's operating rooms, where he conducted various experiments on not only himself, but the village people Kabuto would sometimes arrive with. Past the door and the dead bodies of experimentation gone wrong, the animals' beady eyes could spot Kyomu pacing in front of four tied-up individuals, sitting against the wall.

"Tell me what I need to know!" Kyomu barked, leaning in close to their faces. Though even he knew, like the wolves did, that he would get no answer. The four had already been inflicted enough with Kyomu's bi-polar methods of torture that talking must have been a chore, let alone revealing who it was he was looking for.

The wolves kept their eyes on the group's leader, a black-haired boy who didn't seem to say much. Rather than pleading, he remained quiet. It was almost haunting, especially since the wolves' saw his special jutsu firsthand. In the middle of torture he'd cleverly distracted Kyomu from the shadows creeping up his spine, prepared to ring his skinny neck. Despite how much the wolves would have been pleased to see Kyomu die, they needed him. Or at least their Alpha convinced them they needed him.

Now securely tied up and drugged, the one called "Shikamaru" would no longer be a problem, and the slightly smaller wolf pack was left to return to their duties and guard the base. The Alpha was just about to turn out of sight from the room when Kyomu's heavy footsteps followed them. His ears perked, and the leader wolf swiveled around to look.

"Something's wrong!" Kyomu breathed, breathing hard from anxiety. "Something outside doesn't feel right! It doesn't feel right!" Kyomu mumbled, taking one hand and exasperatedly leaning against the wall.

"Do you think they sent reinforcements?" The Alpha questioned, catching the attention of his pack. All eyes were on Kyomu.

He gulped once, even twice before he could speak again. "…yes, I do." The man, being his crazy self, suddenly straightened up. He put his hands behind his back, the color returning to his face. He seemed calm, but was deep in his thoughts before he finally said,

"Continue with your regular duties…I've got a plan."

xXx

( Traveling: with the rescue team )

Known fact: Naruto did not like Ichigo, and the feeling was mutual. Ichigo thought that he could control their bickering on the way to the base, but he was wrong. It was hard not to fight or compete with Naruto. Something about that shinobi made it hard; he was always critiquing Ichigo, basically asking to be kicked in the crotch again. Ichigo wasted no time mentioning that to him, sticking out his foot slightly. Indeed, it was not an empty threat. Even then it didn't solve the problem. After staying silent for a few minutes, probably analyzing Ichigo's threat and its consequences, he began to talk again. Calmly, sure, but only to the rest of the team. When it came to Ichigo, his voice was filled with malice.

Ichigo swore he saw Naruto's eyes glow red. Even though for a brief second, he was absolutely positive he saw it: a change in color, and even pupil shape. Creepy. It was all the more reason for Ichigo to end their squabble right then and there with a fair dual. The shinigami came close to suggesting it, but the nature of their trip out of the village stopped him. They were there for one reason and one reason only: to save former Team Asuma and Hinata.

That, unfortunately, didn't stop Ichigo and Naruto from engaging in a little "friendly" competition. The two constantly pushed the group forward by racing each other, seeing who could go faster and slow down on command. It was a bumpy ride there, and Sakura simply wasn't in the mood to stop them. Kiba and Akamaru, however, felt compelled to say something. A short stop and a heavy argument between the three temporarily silenced the duo's rebellious attitudes.

Sakura, even in all her denial, saw Naruto and Sasuke every time she looked at the two of them. The relationship they had was painstakingly similar in every way, from the competition to who Sakura had feelings for. Thoughts from all sides of the spectrum were seemingly shattered when the team's ears finally picked up on the argument Naruto and Ichigo were having.

"Hah! That hair, that sword, there's no way that could be real! You're just trying to compensate for something." Naruto prodded on, hushed, the word "something" possibly referring to genital size. It was that or nothing, Sakura couldn't help but think.

Ichigo was appalled. "You're one to talk." He barked back, once again using the same threat he had ten times already. "Don't forget, we still have unfinished business from Iron Land."

"It's the Land of Iron, stupid. Saying it that way just sounds wrong." Naruto corrected. That point, their argument hit its intellectual peak, gradually falling with every word they said.

"Oh yeah? Well, _you're _wrong."

"No, _you _are!"

"Shut up, Blondie!"

"Make me, Strawberry!"

Sakura had to admit, she was amused. As were Kiba and Shino. Ichigo, however, was not. He could live with all the hair jokes and competition, but what he could not live with was that one nickname he heard so many times before. His name did _not _reference a strawberry, and he would be damned if that was what everyone thought.

However, with the intellectual composition of their argument drowning in their incompetence, getting straight words out to explain the meaning of his name was impossible. Ichigo full-on stopped the group for a minute and tackled Naruto, and considering they were running through the tree tops, it was a hard fall down to the soil.

Half-way through the air Naruto turned their bodies around so that they landed on _Ichigo's _back. Needless to say, it hurt. Using Ichigo's body as a cushion, Naruto rolled off of the pained teen. After gathering themselves, the two came inches close to strangling each other when Shino's bugs saved the day, forming a hard wall between them. Sakura bounded to the ground towards them.

"WHAT is your PROBLEM?" She spat, her face red with smoke coming out of her ears. "We're on an incredibly important mission, and rather than _saving lives_, you two want to roll around in the dirt and prove who's _manlier_? If we weren't on a tight schedule I would strangle you both _myself_!" The kunoichi's eyes squeezed shut as she tried to bite back her anger, even then that didn't work.

She ran right up to a tree and smashed her fist into it. The power of her strike left a deep indent on the wood, nearly cutting through. "Damnit! Damn! God damnit!" She screamed into the trees, standing hunched over with her back facing the others. Ichigo and Naruto relaxed at the sight of this, Shino's bugs creeping back up his sleeve. Akamaru whimpered at Sakura's mixed feelings. Unlike the rest of them, the dog could hear her tears hit the ground.

Her legs shook, giving way to her body weight as she fell to her knees. "They _need _us right now, they need us to save them! It's like you two don't _care _that they could be dead right now, that this whole mission is pointless!" The sheer strength of her voice bounced off the trees and right to Ichigo and Naruto, making the point crystal clear.

Their immature acts were finally taking a toll on the team, delaying them from saving their friends. Naruto, who knew the victims closely, knew well what he'd done wrong. His hatred and jealousy for Ichigo had put him on a meaningless chase to feel worthy, and he'd forgotten about what made him such a great ninja, the village hero; it was his friends that made him great, and at that very moment he felt bad. Naruto, a sage, a warrior, a friend, didn't feel great anymore.

Ichigo tried to take a step towards Sakura, but when he reached a hand out to offer her comfort she violently slapped it away, leaving a red mark on his skin. "Don't! Just, _don't_. I knew it was a mistake to put you on this mission. I knew you couldn't rise up to the challenge." Sakura stood up from the ground, slowly turning towards him. Much like she had when they first met, she poked a finger at his chest. "You know, for all your supposed power, you are unreasonable and weak, and stubborn and foolish, and, and…" She took her hand back to wipe under her eyes, looking over to Naruto and back, "…and the two of you are so obviously similar it's sickening."

Sakura crossed her arms and looking around to her team. They were all expecting her to act responsible here and make the right choice, Ichigo and Naruto included. Biting her lip, she made a quick and unemotional decision. "We're not too far away from Konoha right now…it's a reasonable walk back…" Her eyes turned cold as she looked straight at Ichigo.

"I'm taking you off this mission, Ichigo. I need you to walk home." She said briskly, before returning to her old self and continuing, "The rest of us will continue on."

Ichigo looked shocked. Despite the fact it was a perfect time to be smug, Naruto was a little disappointed. With Ichigo gone, they would be one man short. One less person to help.

"You heard me," Sakura told the shinigami, wringing her hands together behind her back, "this isn't about you, or me, or _us_. This is about my friends, people you hardly know and are endangering by being on this mission. The longer we talk about this, the more likely they could be killed." She walked towards the others, herding them away by waving her arms. Over her shoulder, she gave an apologetic smile.

"So goodbye, Ichigo."

xXx

Sakura was harsh, but neither Shino nor Kiba felt sorry for Ichigo. He shouldn't have tackled Naruto and delay the whole mission back. It was a foolish mistake that they, as a team, couldn't afford to let happen again. Yet their opinions were bias. They knew Naruto, they were friends with Naruto. Whereas they hardly knew Ichigo well enough to even call him a comrade. In their minds, it was safer for their friends if they let him go. Quickly returning into formation, the group sped as far away as they could, never once looking back to Ichigo.

Well, one person did look back to Ichigo. It wasn't the shinobi one would imagine. Naruto, who usually felt such a strong dislike for the shinigami, couldn't help but feel like they were walking into a battle without their shuriken. Ichigo was their secret weapon, their ace in the whole. Nobody but them knew about Ichigo or what he was, and the simple revelation of his power and status could provide some much needed distraction. Not to mention that it was Naruto's fault Ichigo was dropped from the mission in the first place.

Or at least he _felt _like it was his doing. Naruto knew he was at fault there, too, and if anyone should have had to go, it should have been him. All those names he'd called Ichigo were wrong, and he wished he could have kept quiet until _after _they had saved Hinata and the others. It was impossible to keep his dislike locked up forever, but it was possible to keep it held tight until the time was right. Naruto had chosen badly, the time was anything but right to release his feelings.

The Jinchuriki wanted to hit himself, multiple times, for his stupid behavior. If not for Ichigo's sake, he should have kept it under control for Sakura's sake; or better yet, the sake of his captured friends!

That was all in the past now, and Naruto needed to focus. They all did. Thus Shino and Kiba put aside their bias opinions, Naruto his self-loathing, and Sakura her guilt and instead thought of their friends and the situation they were in. Disagreements and worry aside, they were walking towards a highly dangerous base with a purpose. Within moments their expressions went stone cold as they zeroed in on their goal: a successful mission without any casualties.

Yet that goal seemed increasingly unlikely by the second.

They came across a large clearing, more like a field of flowers in the middle of all the tall trees. In the center was a medium-sized well, completely innocent in looks but suspicious in theory. Nonetheless, the group would have passed right by it if it hadn't been for Akamaru, who smelled something abnormal and led the group in the general direction. At first, their instinct was to stop and rest there. The space was vast, and there were a few rocks to sit against. However, Akamaru appeared to be on edge. His whole body was tense, and his paws came down on the ground carefully when he treaded. Obviously, something about the clearing _and _the well was off.

The group centered around the well, Sakura taking one gloved hand and tracing the stone. "This is an odd place to put a well," she mumbled, running her hands along the edge. It was especially odd considering the well had no roof, or anything to keep rainwater out of it. Inside the well was water, sloshing like it usually did. It was a murky liquid, and Sakura couldn't see any further than a foot into the well.

Kiba came to her side and examined the well. "Yeah, and there's not a town anywhere near here." He told her. One look at her and he knew he was thinking the same thing. He resting his body on the edge and leaned forward, using one hand to hazardously reach into the well. When his fingers came close to the water, Sakura started to bite her lip nervously. Usually in horror movies, this was the point where something reached up and pulled the unknowing person into the well.

Luckily, nothing _scary _happened, but something defiantly _did _happen. The moment Kiba stuck his fingers under the water, its surface became fuzzy like bad reception on a television. The picture shook, mixing its colors together like pixels for a brief second before returning back to normal.

"It's henge!" Kiba exclaimed, eyes shooting up to look at Sakura and Shino. By now Shino had taken interest in the well and approached, Akamaru circling behind him nervously. Though the group was not so invested in the well that Akamaru's nervous senses didn't appeal to them, nor did they seem to notice it. Instead, Kiba felt the walls of the well again. "If the water's henge, but the well is real…what could that mean?"

Sakura pondered the thought, putting both hands on her hips. As hard as she tried, she could only think of one reason. At first she doubted it, but the longer she thought of it, the more evident it became. The clearing was too silent, and taking closer examination on the place, she saw the same flickering persona of the water in the rocks and flowers of the clearing. Her eyes widened in shock, as she took let another look at the well. "Let me feel that again…" She mumbled, reaching forward. She reached back inside and through the water, arching her back to force more of her arm in. Until finally her fingers hit bottom, about at the same level as the ground they stood on.

"Shit." She cursed, looking to them nervously. This time she took a glance at Akamaru, really focusing. "I can't believe we didn't see this before!" She felt stupid, and wasteful. All this time spent with the well and the clearing was another moment their friends could be killed or were already dead, another moment spent looking at that well was another moment trapped in a Genjutsu!

Sakura put her hands together, followed by the others. All three of them, at the same time, murmured "Release" with their eyes pressed close. Sakura was not looking forward to opening her eyes and seeing where they were _really _standing.

Indeed it was a clearing, but it was a clearing for a specific reasons. It wasn't a vast space of flowers, rocks, and lovely trees, it was a vast space of burnt down buildings and rubble piles. All around them, somewhere they had stumbled into a Genjutsu meant to hide the truth from travelers, and make them see a more pleasant image. The real thing, however, was anything but pleasant. Far in the distance Sakura could see two foot sticking out beneath a heavy pile of rubble. She felt her breath catch.

"Oh fu-" Kiba murmured, the general depression in the area drowning out his curses. Akamaru could see it all this time, the destruction and death all around them. In front of them was the well, but its whole appearance had changed. The stones were chipped, and parts of it were broken through, various stones missing.

"This is beyond destroyed." Shino added on, turning to look behind them. They were standing right in the center of the chaos. As far as his eyes could see there was nothing but freshly burning buildings, bodies, rubble, and smoke. The sky above the area was a greasy tan color from all the dirty smoke.

Sakura suddenly felt very sorry for their friends. "Do you think…?" She paused, but Shino and Kiba's encouraging faces told her to go on. "Do you think they were a part of this? That they had to watch this happen?"

Thankfully, Shino shook his head. "I don't think so. It's too silent and empty to be recent. Somebody took their time destroying this place, killing these people." At that moment, that was perhaps the most Shino had ever said in one go. Though it didn't matter. Nobody cared. They were all caught up in the depressing sights before them.

Without warning Akamaru jumped to face the East, growling wildly. Kiba pursed his lips, and when the others looked to him for information, he began to sniff at the air. No more than two sniffs through did he find something shocking, something _dangerous_. Knees bent, with his kunai whipped out and ready, he looked in the exact same direction as Akamaru did. One glance over to his comrades told them to prepare themselves.

"We've got some guests…" Kiba said, and indeed, they did.

Nearly a whole house's length away there was a single building, charred beyond recognition. Nonetheless it still stood upright, and through its unhinged door crawled the shadow of a person, several people. Or rather, they weren't people. Once they crawled out of the shadows of the building, the fur and the fangs became evident. Wolves, and there were many more than Sakura had encountered with Ichigo.

"How much you wanna bet that building is the entrance to the base, and Orochimaru burned down this whole village just to camp out?" He asked amusingly, smiling at the prospect of a good fight.

Sakura shrugged, also getting ready. "I don't know, I just can't believe nobody has found this village yet, the Genjutsu was kind of weak." She mumbled, hands grasping her own kunai tightly. Akamaru growled at her comment in some sort of agreement, pawing at the ground in front of him. Yet he paused, one paw down and the other in the air. At the same moment that Akamaru froze, the wolves in front of them did to, all gathering around the front of the building. They were looking past the group, like there was something behind them.

"I'm glad you like my handiwork so much." A voice mentioned from behind.

The team quickly turned and went on the offensive. Whatever kunai (or in Shino's case, bugs) they had in their hands they directed right towards the man standing in the center of the empty well. He was a strange looking fellow, with a long white lab coat and black hair that stood up in spikes at every angle. Yet his eyes were gray, as if they were empty and hollow. He had long green rubber gloves on, almost like a surgeon. Except at the sides facing away from his body on the gloves were spikes; sharp spikes. He simply raised one gloved hand to the weapons and they suddenly vanished, materializing before the team's very eyes.

"I'm afraid I don't have much time for visitors…sorry." He smiled at his "guests" before looking to the wolves on the other side of them. "Alpha, take care of these kids however the hell you want. There's business I've got to ate-"

"Where are our friends?" Naruto shouted, bounding forward to grab the man and pull him forward, but as soon as his hands felt like they were going to make contact, the man disappeared exactly how their weapons had, leaving the well empty once again. Naruto cursed, quickly turning over to the wolves that were now picking up pace and trying to circle around the well. He glanced to Sakura, "so what do you suppose we do?"

She was surprisingly quick with her decision. "We only have so much time before that man kills our friends. We can't all stay here… Shino and I will stay here, me because I have experience with the wolves."

Naruto coughed. "Are you serious? There's like, fifty of them!"

The kunoichi grinned, "They have a weak point, which is coincidentally their blind spot. They can't see to their sides." She told him, shrugging nonchalantly, and adding, "Like most dogs."

Kiba looked to the building. "So I take it you're going to distract the majority of them for me and Naruto to get into the building?" When Sakura gave a brief nod he bobbed his head back, running right over to Akamaru and jumping on his back. He looked over to Naruto. "Get on, Naruto. Akamaru's gonna led the way."

Despite their tight situation, a large grin grew on the Jinchuriki's face. He contemplated the idea of riding a dog, and how "totally awesome" it would be, but in the end decided against it. He didn't want to rely on Akamaru, nor did he want to hurt the animal. "It's okay, just cover me and I'll come up behind you."

The wolves, now getting very close, seemed to start at the run. Despite the animals' cleverness, they left the building wide open for intruders. All hell broke loose at the same time, as Shino released his bugs, Sakura ran forward to her first wolf, while Naruto created two shadow clones to flank his sides and followed Akamaru's quick pace forward. The opposing forces clashed in a flurry of Jutsu, fangs, and growling. It was a mini war, but was anything but small.

xXx

Sakura and Shino could handle themselves, there was no doubt in Naruto's mind about that. Thus he didn't risk a glance back, and focused on running through the crowd of attacking wolves. With his clones he followed the clean trail Akamaru seemed to make, but just in case he had a Rasengan in both hands, running it through whatever wolves came his way. All the carnage, and the burnt fur, he got used to it after the first wolf and merely moved on. To tell the truth, there weren't that many wolves as he originally thought. Maybe about ten or eleven around the others, with a few handful being the ones he and Kiba ran through.

Once inside the building Kiba dismounted and assisted in shoving the unhinged door in the frame, which worked to a point that they didn't mind the swiss-cheese holes in the wood. If anything, it was amusing.

Naruto was the first to take a good look around. "Huh…" He murmured, walking over to what he assumed to be the main living area. He pushed around half-piles of rubble with his feet, sighing with relief when he didn't find any bodies. Those corpses outside would give him nightmares for weeks. "It's just a normal house."

Kiba snorted. "Yeah, normal in the sense it was the center of genocide, maybe. That well outside looks better than this crappy structure. But why would you want to center a base in here?" He questioned, not coming up with any answers. Akamaru left his side to sniff around, and he and Naruto followed his companion closely.

Akamaru led them down a small hallway, and right through a tatami mat room. Come to think of it, the house _was _bigger than the rest of them, which had to have some significance. Down another hallway they came across a very small room with literally no other purpose than to serve as a protective unit for a rug. One rug. It was ghastly and gross, charred at the edges and curling up. Nonetheless it was definitely a rug, and for some strange reason it had (for the most part) survived the chaos. It almost felt as if part-way through the destruction, someone had rolled up the rug and kept it with them until they were done, putting it right back down once they were impressed with their destructive capabilities.

"That's an odd place to put a rug." Kiba murmured, stepping in front of Akamaru to lift the rug up with his foot. Where he thought he'd find a trapdoor or loose floorboards of some sort, instead he saw nothing. In every sense of the word, there was nothing. No floor to cover up the darkness under the house. It sent a shiver up both their spines. "Bingo." Kiba murmured, turning his head to Naruto. "Now you go in first."

Naruto's eye twitched. "What? No! You go!" He responded, hesitantly glancing at the utter darkness and back again. There was simply no winning, neither Kiba nor Akamaru looked willing. He puffed out his chest and mumbled, dejectedly, "I thought dogs were supposed to see in the dark."

One of Naruto's clones stepped forward and jumped in, followed by another, and soon after Naruto himself. There were no stairs, or a ladder, so it was really like a quick freefall on the way to the bottom. All three Narutos landed on their bottoms, but glancing up through the darkness he could see the square of light where Kiba and Akamaru were, hunched over and peering through the darkness for them.

"Ya down there?" Kiba called, followed by two consecutive barks from Akamaru.

Naruto got up to his feet, put both hands on either side of his mouth, and called up, "Yeah! Just let me find some light or something!" He and his clones squinted through the darkness and expected to see nothing, but indeed saw _something_. About fifteen feet away there was a golden outline, shaped like a doorframe. There was light on the other side, that much they could assume. Naruto took a few steps towards it, but froze when his foot hit something squishy, as did his clones. "Gah, gross! What is that?" Naruto commented boldly, continuing on. Some of the spots were squishy, while others were firm and soft. Soon enough Kiba and Akamaru had come through the hole and were following Naruto. Once again Akamaru had taken up whimpering, but this time nobody was sure why.

"Oh, I see the light now." Kiba told them, nodding towards the door in the light. He was repulsed by the squishy sensation of the floor, but could live with it until they got to the light. They were all eager to leave the darkness, and all pushed at the door fervently and without regard for personal space. Kiba and Naruto heaved until the door finally gave way, allowing more light in as they pushed it forward.

It led to a narrow hallway just barely big enough for one Naruto and Kiba walking side-by-side. The walls looked like clay with intricate swirly patterns engraved, the same walls Naruto remembered running through when he, Sakura, and Sai came to rescue Sasuke that one time. It was lit by torches hanging on the wall, licking up towards the ceiling.

"This is definitely it." Naruto commented, taking a few steps forward to survey more area. For only a few seconds he walked, and upon realizing that neither his clones nor Kiba and Akamaru were following, he turned back. They were all around the door, looking at the sight in the dark room. The light from the hallway grew out and illuminated the contents of the room, which now they saw was more than a room. It was the typical size of a bomb shelter, or a basement, and was probably a part of the house but was added on to Orochimaru's base. (Hence the door.) However, what Naruto saw on that room was worse than he could have imagined.

"Shit… It's like a dump for…" Looking at the different shapes and sizes was hard enough, but the sheer volume of it was truly revolting. "How could they do this?" Kiba gulped, the color draining from his face. "It's a frickin' dumping ground for- for…"

Naruto clenched his jaw. "For bodies."

The Jinchuriki clutched his stomach, because now it made sense why the ground was so "squishy". They were stepping on people, deformed people. A few people here and there had scales, others were just blobs, while some remained perfectly normal. Naruto felt his ramen come back up, and he swallowed it back down for the sake of Akamaru's and Kiba's nostrils. "This is disgusting…" Naruto whispered. It looked as if Kabuto really was continuing Orochimaru's work, but the extent of it was probably all in that room; dead.

Kiba pulled at Naruto's arm. "C'mon, we're not done yet." He mumbled, leading the reduced group forward. They made the first turn into another hallway that they could, not because they knew that was the way, but because they didn't want to look behind and see that horrid sight again. They noticed that the further away they got the more they could breath again. Together they focused on finding their friends, finally putting the mass murders aside. Akamaru seemingly calmed down too, and sniffed at the air for recognizable scents.

The corridors were like a maze, a labyrinth, which was precisely how Naruto remembered it being. Without some way to track, navigating and even escaping would be impossible in the clay hell hole. The base certainly felt like hell, it was at an unbearable temperature after all.

They felt like they were walking for hours. Time was slurred together in the maze, nearly impossible to follow. Minutes could feel like days, but hours could go by in seconds. Their internal clocks were impossible to follow, every minute seemed like a different hour of the day, and if that hour was before or after current time didn't matter. One moment it could be the morning, whereas the next would feel like it was midnight. The two couldn't help but feel that there was an easier way to find their friends.

It felt like a miracle when Akamaru suddenly barked, taking heavy sniffs and speeding his pace up. Naruto felt his spirits lifts immensely as he chased after the creature. Kiba too felt weights lift from his shoulders. They would both do anything to get out of the heat, and the quicker they saved their friends, the possibility of being out in clean air again got closer and closer to reality.

Right. Left. Right. Right. They took a series of turns that eventually led to a change in style. The hallway stretched and became bigger, growing to the size of an auditorium when they finally came to the middle of it. The colors of the clay walls had changed, turning from an orangey-tan to a cold slate gray. Above them they saw a balcony, probably where Kabuto would stand as he watched experiments fight each other on the ground floor.

Once again they saw bodies, this time only a few that littered the edges of the room. "They sure don't know how to clean up after themselves, do they?" Kiba joked sadistically, averting his eyes from the deformed bodies. He'd rather not look at that one more time.

Without giving an answer, Naruto merely nodded. Something about the room didn't feel too right. The eerie feeling was in no way similar to the genjutsu they found outside, oh no, this was different. Like there was a presence, coming closer and closer to them. One that was coming straight at them, on either side of the hallways could be felt. "Cover me." Naruto suddenly asked, sitting down on the floor and crossing his legs, hands resting on his knees. The presence was big, and mere shadow clones wouldn't help. He needed to go sage for this.

Kiba didn't ask any questions, he indeed guarded Naruto. He and Akamaru, together, circled their friend. They could feel it, too, the growing hunger on either side of the hallway. Soon enough the owner of the feeling made itself known, emerging from the hallways at a rapid pace. Their paws hit the ground excitedly as they ran forward.

More wolves. Though these wolves appeared to be different than the ones outside. They were thinner, perhaps even a little smaller in general size. They seemed almost delicate, but even Naruto was not enough of a fool to know they were still quite powerful. Our good Naruto, who had finally finished absorbing natural energy, could clearly feel the power pulsing from within them.

"These wolves are stronger, Kiba. There's a lot less, but they're still stronger." Naruto informed, watching the five or six that gathered around. Akamaru growled at them, and they growled back. It was a whole gurgle of animal noises, but not loud enough to cover the sketchy footsteps that also came from both sides.

The man from before entered the auditorium-like room, pulling up his gloves securely. Only that wasn't the worst of it. In Sage Mode Naruto could clearly feel his power, his strength, and the fact he had an equally strong clone coming up on the other side. He smiled at Naruto and Kiba, a smile so fake it was almost real. "Ah, so I see you've found my base." The first one said before turning his head to look as the second one entered.

The second one bowed. "Quite a performance your friends are putting on outside. I daresay, that kunoichi sure knows how to throw a punch. She's completely butchering the ground. A few more punches, and she'll break through to the base!"

The first one rubbed his chin. "I, er, _we_ should probably do something about that."

Number two chuckled. "Indeed we should. But first," he looked directly at Naruto and Kiba, then to Akamaru. "Quite a fine dog you have there. We might just let him live." Akamaru barked at the two angrily, backing closer to Kiba. The second was not amused. "Such a pity…"

All through their meaningless talk Naruto was looking from one to the other, trying to figure out which was the real one. The first one followed Naruto's attention with interest, and that same sickening smile grew on his face five times brighter. "Ah, so, who have you decided? Am I the real Kyomu?"

"Or am I?" The second one added.

Together in unison they spoke. "We'll tell you which one of us is real, Uzumaki Naruto, Inuzuka Kiba, but only for a price." They both crossed their hands behind their backs leisurely. "You just need to answer one simple question."

Both shinobi were put on edge by Kyomu, who apparently knew their names. This was not good, not good at all. Naruto just wanted to get to fighting, but knew he couldn't. The moment he would touch one of them, they would either disappear again or one of the wolves would get to Naruto first. They needed to fight on equal ground, Naruto needed to figure out how to stop him from disappearing. But before he started the trail and error and wasted his Sage Mode, first it seemed like he would have to play along.

Naruto clenched his jaw, a gesture becoming more like a habit now that Ichigo seemed to come into their lives. "And what question would that be?"

Both Kyomu laughed harshly, earning the chuckling of their wolf pack. They laughed so hard that they held their bellies while throwing their heads right back and exploding with laughter. In the same short span of time the amusement had started it was ended, both men turning gravely serious. Their one question was the last one Naruto would ever expect.

"Where is the shinigami?"

Where was the shinigami? Naruto knew where the shinigami was (though Kiba had no idea what they were talking about) but he just couldn't say. It seemed Naruto's earlier thoughts had been right. Ichigo would be needed in this mission, and they'd sent him packing. The shinigami was probably halfway to Konoha by then.

Crap.

xXx

**A/N: **I seriously bit off more than I can chew with my life, and this fanfiction. Don't worry, I'm not giving up. I love the Ichigo/Sakura pair so much I'm going to write until my hands bleed. However, Kyomu is one big pain. At first, about three months ago when I had the initial idea for his character, I had everything figured out. He would be evil, completely and totally evil with powers and prowess to be challenged. I planned to kill him off, make him just a stepping stone in the plot. However, I'm starting to like Kyomu. The more I write for him, the more I like him. He's confused, yet kind when you see the other side to him that I haven't written about yet... Even so, his powers are so confusing. I confuse myself when I try to map out the logic for how he does what he does, and why he's able to do it... *sigh*

Please forgive me if Kyomu makes no sense, and if his powers are so hard to comprehend that you lose interest in the fanfiction. You have no idea how many hours I've spent slaving over his character, trying to piece together the puzzle.

Also, thank you SO MUCH for your lovely feedback. I know there's a lot of controversy over the power imbalance in my fanfiction, and I love how y'all feel comfortable enough to discuss it with me. Criticism makes me smile, because now I know what I have to improve on. However, there is one bigger picture to the reason why shinigami are weaker, or more specifically, Ichigo. A fanfic where Ichigo starts out all powerful, and without anything to gain doesn't sound very interesting, does it? I want Ichigo to be a developing character, and if I simply started out with him oozing power this fanfiction would have become much shorter. As for why the rest of the shinigami have to suffer the power inbalance, I don't have much interest to find out. If this fic was about all of Soul Society, things might be different. I don't know...hm... Still, I appreciate the feedback in the reviews. I can't tell you how happy I was to see those reviews!

Catch you later, alligator!

~Dahlia


	23. The King of Nothing

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or Bleach_. Naruto to Bleach ga arimasen_. ['I do not have Naruto and Bleach' in Japanese.] Brownie points for saying it (sorta) in another language?

**A/N**: OHMYGOODNESS. ;)

Don't you just love the witty banter that happens between fights?

xXx

Sakura was sure of her decision to kick Ichigo off the mission, it was so obvious. Not once did she look back at him as the group departed, despite how close they seemed to be getting. The rejected-Ichigo had to go off of was that look of guilt she had in her eyes when she looked to him before gathering her troop and disappearing as fast as the eye could see. She was determined to finish her mission, and Ichigo admired that. But wasn't her choice to kick him out too _harsh_?

Perhaps it was only because he was on the receiving end that it felt harsh…? Or, there was the slim chance that it actually wasn't harsh enough! Ichigo _had _been acting like a complete git, tackling Naruto out of nowhere. Although his tackle was (he thought) completely justified, it wasn't well thought out.

Yet Naruto deserved what he got, surely Ichigo's decision to go offensive wasn't totally irrational and stupid. He wouldn't have done so had it not been for that _one _word, that _one _nickname:

Strawberry.

It made Ichigo feel small, weak, and he hated that feeling. Unable to do anything to protect himself is what that nickname portrayed. He felt the same paralyzing self-loathing and helplessness when his hollow took over. He despised the feeling. Thus, he suddenly despised Naruto.

Ah, but the past was behind him now. Literally. The group was long gone, and Ichigo was now turned around and walking back to Konoha. Perhaps there was some explanation he could offer Tsunade, leaving out the dirty bits about him tackling Naruto and Sakura nearly knocking a whole forest tree over. He especially planned to leave out the part where Sakura cried and cursed.

It hurt, he had to admit. Seeing her tears was not a nice way to spend time. Ichigo didn't know what to do around crying women, mainly because none of the girls in his life had ever cried in front of him. He knew losing Mom, and not having a motherly figure, had to be hard for Karin and Yuzu yet they never piled their distress on Ichigo. He hardly even heard them talking about things related to depression or sadness. They were happy, satirical bodies of light. Then again, if they _did _cry more often he was sure he would be able to do something. They were his sisters! Everything was different with Sakura. When she was sad, he felt helpless. When she smiled at him he seemed to feel helpless. Even when she laughed, he was overcome with a paralyzing helplessness.

Was that even natural?

Whatever it was, Ichigo was ashamed of himself for causing it. Things would have been a whole lot simpler if he'd just obeyed his common sense so long ago and went to school, not to fight Jiryokou. "But how was I supposed to know what he could do?" Ichigo suddenly asked himself on the topic, rubbing the back of his neck angrily. "Nobody told me what to expect for Jiryokou!" Indeed, nobody had. Fate had a funny way of throwing Ichigo into situations he didn't want…perhaps this thing with Sakura was the same situation? Maybe it was fate that he tried to fight Jiryokou and was sent to Konoha to meet Sakura… The teen smiled and laughed at himself. It was a silly idea.

Ichigo stopped walking for a moment, leaning against a nearby tree. No amount of humor or wit could take his mind off the matter at hand: he'd just been kicked off of a mission that for some unearthly reason he felt he needed to complete. He couldn't explain it, but the further away he walked from the group, the more he felt he was _needed_. He felt like someone was, honest to god, _calling him_. It was unexplainable, and it let Ichigo with two choices:

For one, Ichigo could continue on to Konoha. He could try to explain to feeling, and the reason for his excommunication to Tsunade without success. From there he had no doubt that they would force him back into his body again, by which time Kon might have angered another group of women. The second choice had the potential to be _more_ dangerous than an angry mob of violated women –which was admittedly hard to believe. For it involved turning around, and following the group's trail. It meant accompanying them on their mission like a shadow. For some reason, it was the second choice that made him feel calm. If he was there, he'd be able to protect Sakura, assuming she needed him. If not, that was fine. He would make it up to her by helping save her friends.

The shinigami put his knuckles to his lips, intently weighing the pros and cons. More than ever lately Ichigo had been thinking before acting, something he'd learned to do because of Sakura. He felt the compulsive need to impress her, especially since every time he fought with Naruto it made him appear _rude_ and _unintelligent_… Oh, the irony.

It was decided: he would go against orders and assist. In his head it sounded like a good, reasonable solution. As Ichigo turned on his heels and bounded off in the other direction, he thought, _I hope Sakura can forgive me. _

xXx

For all his strength and individuality, he was a stubborn fool. Yet Naruto couldn't deny the fact that this mission would be a whole lot easier if Ichigo hadn't been evicted. After all, there he was, standing before a crazy man named Kyomu who was only interested in one thing: shinigami. And the very expert on the topic was in nowhere right then, trying to find his way back to the village. Somehow, Kyomu had a connection with Ichigo, that much Naruto could deduce. Kiba wasn't much help on the topic, to say the least.

"Are you frickin' loony?" Kiba questioned the two Kyomu, barring his dog-like teeth at them. The only one outside of Team Seven and Tsunade that knew about Ichigo was Hinata, who had been warned long ago when her group escorted Ichigo to the Land of Iron. Kiba was out of the loop; clueless. He laughed at the Kyomu, foolishly thinking it was the scientist who was ignorant. "Shinigami aren't real, bastard."

Kyomu laughed in response, a chilling noise that echoed up and around the arched ceiling. "On the contrary, they are. There's living proof, in your village." The first one said, followed by the second as he pointed his finger at Naruto. "Uzumaki-san knows what I'm talking about."

Naruto didn't tear his eyes away from Kyomu One and Two, still trying to decipher which was real and which wasn't; while Kiba sent a peculiar look his way, no doubt wondering if it was just a lie like he thought. The utter seriousness of Naruto's demeanor told him otherwise. His face stretched to a look of genuine disbelief, his eyes wide, while his mouth hung open. Quickly though, and like a true pro, Kiba turned back to Kyomu with an intimidating gaze. He refused to give them the upper hand.

Naruto clenched his jaw. "There are two things I don't know." He told Kyomu, turning his head to look at either one as he spoke. "I have no idea where the shinigami is; he left a long time ago. And I still don't know which one of you is real."

The two shrugged. "A pity, such a pity." The first one murmured as he swung his gloved hand at the air. The very movement created a paranormal ripple right next to where he stood, and from all angles it looked exactly the same; like Kyomu was in a painting and he had just torn a part of it rough scissors. The second Kyomu did the exact same thing on his side, before saying, "I can't help you if you don't know where the shinigami is. So…I guess it's time to leave you to the wolves, they've been waiting so patiently, after all."

As the two approached their respectable ripples, Kiba cursed loudly. "Where are our friends?" He demanded, yet got no answer.

There was something strange about Kyomu Two, yet there was something almost too _average _about the first Kyomu. Needless to say, Naruto was conflicted, and he didn't have much time to choose. Already the two were approaching their escapes, and if they went through it, he knew they would be lost forever. "Damnit!" Naruto muttered, his Sage eyes flickering from one to the other. He had no plausible evidence to help him make a choice…so there was only one option left.

Without warning Naruto ran up to the second Kyomu, his feet pounding heavily on the ground. He had no idea if this Kyomu was the real one, and he was certain that if it wasn't the portal would lead to utter death, but Naruto had no choice. He had to do this. Kiba called after him, but he didn't stop. Naruto threw himself at the second Kyomu, who was now half-way through and had just barely turned to look at all the commotion, when he wrapped his arms around the man's midsection and pushed him into the portal; into a world of swirling colors and uncertainty.

To be completely honest, going through the portal wasn't painful, just creepy. It felt like running through a cold sprinkler, but neither was Naruto wet nor having much fun. Curled around the waist of a person he hardly knew could not exactly be portrayed as "pleasant" or "amusing" as it might have looked. If anything it was awkward and stressing. Kyomu tried to pry Naruto off, but the blond refused to let go. This was enough to prove one thing: Naruto guessed right.

Within seconds they were spit out at the other end of the portal, but rather than landing in a room similar to the rest of the base, he landed in something else entirely. As he tried to stand up again, he took a moment to look around. Oddly, he only saw one thing.

Nothing.

A world of emptiness surrounded the two of them. White was everywhere, and it was paralyzing. Glancing down to where he landed, the fact there was no floor startled him and he inevitably lost his balance, falling back down to his knees. There was absolutely nothing to stand on, yet he could stand up just fine. Weird.

"You are so brave, Uzumaki-san." Kyomu babbled, standing about ten feet away. He calmly approached. "To invade my home, _both _my homes. As courageous as that was, it was a mistake. Foolishness is your fatal flaw. Going through a portal without even knowing where it _ended_? Fool. Such a fool."

Naruto got to his feet, still shaky but slowly getting used to his surroundings. He wasn't sure how far the nothingness went, or if there was even an end to this strange place. The only way to get out, he thought, was with Kyomu's unheard of jutsu. Naruto tensed as Kyomu approached, continuing on.

"You're in my world now. Out there," he gestured to the slight darkening where the portal once was, but was closing up, "out there, that's _your _world. But in here you're powerless. Anything I want can happen here. Anything. Whether you like it or not." Kyomu bantered, using both of his hands to form a combination of signs. It was hard to tell what it was, some were repeated whereas others were completely new things Naruto had never seen. Kyomu was so quick with the signing that Naruto didn't even stand a chance.

A few hushed authentic words and Kyomu held out his hands in front of him. Naruto took the opportunity to pull two kunai from his pouch and hold them steady, as he watched Kyomu. The man had to have been crazy, in order to have such an insane Jutsu, that is. Literally from nothing, a long black stick with an intricate golden design around it grew to a length the height of a person. At the top came a long curved blade, reminded Naruto of a scythe. Did that remind him of a shinigami, or what?

Kyomu stroked the scythe lovingly. "Ever since I was a child I loved the idea of shinigami. My poor mother would tell me stories of them…when I killed her bastard murderers, a scythe was the only weapon I used." A dastardly smile infected his face.

There wasn't a chance to respond, or even breathe, Kyomu was on the offensive with unexpected speed. He slashed the scythe at Naruto's stomach, which the teen evaded hastily, jumping back a good four feet. The sheer closeness of the attack left a mark on his orange windbreaker, leaving a long slash through its stomach. He reciprocated the attack by throwing a single kunai, which didn't do much. Kyomu merely held up his hand and it dispersed into thousands of tiny pieces.

"**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!****" **Naruto called with the appropriate signs. It was risky, considering he was loosing precious natural energy doing it, but he needed to. He needed to see where all the erased objects went. Technically two clones were at Naruto's side, but Kyomu could only see one. Stashed away in the form of a shuriken was clone number two. The technique was strikingly similar to when he and Sasuke fought Zabuza all that time ago; in both cases, he intended to miss with the shuriken.

He threw it right at Kyomu while coming up on either side with his clone. As expected, Kyomu reached out with a hand and erased the shuriken from existence, but something else was taken as well. To Naruto's absolute horror, his other clone began to disappear as well, falling to pieces until it was completely gone. Naruto stumbled backwards, trying to get as far away from Kyomu's hand as he could; Kyomu could erase _people_.

Kyomu smiled. "Do you see it now, Naruto? Do you see that you are no match for me, Sage or not you can never win. This is my world, my rules. I could have erased you the minute I saw you, but I decided to spare you thinking you might have information about the shinigami." He placed the bottom of the scythe on the "ground", still holding it upright. "So I will ask you again: where is the shinigami. Think about the answer carefully, now. Or you might end up like your clone."

It wasn't very smart, but once again Naruto summoned clones. Two yet again, and this time they were both at his sides. He held out his hands to them while they went to work with rasengan. "I already told you, I don't know. Believe it."

As soon as Naruto uttered the words, Kyomu's scythe began to disappear, and as Kyomu held out his now empty palms, a screeching sort of sound entered the room. Intently he looked at Naruto's rasengan, and without any help formed two of his own. Only, they didn't look like they were made of chakra, the color was too dark. Could this be more nothingness that Kyomu seemed to like so much?

No words were exchanged, rather than waste energy talking they focused on their respective rasengan, and quickly ran towards each other. Naruto wasn't worried about being erased, at least not yet, not when he had enough energy to dodge the quick punch Kyomu's rasengan-hand threw at him. Naruto aimed at the man's gut but missed as he arched his body to the right, bringing up his knee to hit Naruto in the back.

The semi-kick was hard enough to push Naruto to the ground. Using the momentum he rolled back to his feet and threw all of his weight onto one arm, sending it crashing towards Kyomu. As Naruto's rasengan came at him, Kyomu brought up his own and blocked it. The two forces collided, exploding in both opponents faces before pushing them away from each other with a tremendous force. Kyomu landed smack-dab on Naruto's awaiting clones, and they went away in a puff of smoke under his weight.

Naruto, however, was not as fortunate. The white ground was hard like stone, and his whole body landed on its side, crushing his arm under his weight. Naruto coughed violently, a fierce pain erupting in his right side. As much as he would have preferred to stay huddled there until the pain went away, there was no chance. Kyomu was already up on his feet and approaching.

The blond jumped to his feet and blocked Kyomu's first kick with his palm. Somewhere in the fall his second rasengan came undone, and he could already feel Sage Mode weakening. While he sparred yet again with Kyomu –reciprocating every attack to his best ability- he felt something, two more poofs, two more memories from his clones. He could see their final sights and feel their final thoughts like cloudy memories. The images were fuzzy and interrupted by an unseen force. Even so, it became clear. He saw the final moments of his clones perfectly.

Before they departed from this world, they landed in a dark room. In that very room were things much more important than stolen goods...In that room sat Kyomu hunched over desk, scribbling something madly. Once this Kyomu noticed Naruto's clones he attacked, but his attacks were so _weak_, so _minor_. If it hadn't been for the clone's weakened state, Kyomu would have never been able to kill them…

Based on what he knew so far, and assuming that the Kyomu hunched over a desk was the real one, it meant something big and obvious: Kyomu was a Genjutsu master. He'd fooled the team once with his flowery clearing, and somehow he was fooling the team again. He was fooling Naruto! It meant that the Kyomu Naruto was fighting, and the white world of nothing they were fighting in was all a scam, all a ruse.

Yet that didn't explain how clones, kunai, and shuriken actually disappeared if it was all just a Genjutsu. Though there was only one way to determine whether or not his Genjutsu theory was true. After blocking another swing by Kyomu, Naruto put his hands together. Risking it all by a short second in time, he mumbled, "**Release****- **GAH!"

The moment he finished the jutsu Kyomu threw his spiked arm up and impaled it right on Naruto's bicep, going into the skin deep. He screamed out in pain, the sensation of tearing through flesh was anything but soft. As he looked up into Kyomu's happy face, the release began to kick in. The colors mixed together and changed, changed to something more similar. The white morphed into the familiar clay walls Naruto had been standing in moments before, except it was stretched and arched into the auditorium.

He was back with Kiba, and in this case it was unfortunate. Still biting onto his arm, teeth in deep, was Akamaru. Naruto forced Akamaru off, who only jumped forward again and tried to bite down again. Naruto regrettably pushed Akamaru away forcibly, using the last of his Sage Jutsu to push the dog into a wall.

He turned to Kiba, who had the exact same bruise Naruto had left on Kyomu's cheek. "No, Akamaru!" He called to his hurt dog, before turning back to Naruto and glaring. "You damn wolves, you'll pay!" He barked, running forward.

The sparring began again, but this time Naruto was not in his element. He couldn't hit his friend. Thus, when Kiba came forward with his infamous bullet jutsu, Naruto barely escaped it alive. The opposite side of his body from the bleeding bite marks, and the same part of his body that was still in pain was struck by the jutsu, his windbreaker torn up even more. Shakily he touched his right side and felt a sticky, warm liquid, no doubt blood. Naruto's eyes widened. It was obvious he had to do something quick; Kiba was going to kill him.

Naruto ran forward with gusto, despite his condition, and forgetting all reason and sense. He took Kiba's wrists unexpectedly and smashed his hands together. "Damnit Kiba, this is a Genjutsu! Wake up!" Naruto shook Kiba's body, his actions failing to catch on.

Kiba turned and twisted madly, trying to break free. "Gah, no! Get off me, wolf!" He cried angrily, unable to break free. Yet that didn't stop Kiba, and Naruto should have known better. Kiba brought down his head, bonking Naruto right on the forehead. Instantly he lost his grip and the two stumbled away from each other, both of them rubbing their foreheads.

Akamaru was up and ready within seconds of seeing his master in a bad spot, despite his wounds. Naruto prepared himself as Akamaru was transformed to look like a feral Kiba by one of his jutsu, the two of them stepping to each others sides. The two shot off at Naruto with the same fang bullet jutsu as before, and just like then Naruto barely missed it. He cursed as the force pushed him in the air. The blond landed on his hurt side and came to a rolling stop by the wall. He was feeling powerless. He wasn't drained, just tired and unable to put a hand to his friend.

Yet he had to do _something_, he couldn't fight Kiba forever without being injured. As he rolled off to dodge yet another assault, Naruto plotted his escape. He knew that if this base was anything like the one they failed to rescue Sasuke in, there would be doors and rooms, preferably one with a lock. Here he was, making more guesses when the last one didn't really get him anywhere… He had no choice.

Naruto got to his feet and bolted towards the arched exit, feet taking him as fast as he could go. He heard Kiba and Akamaru call after him, still believing him to be a mob of wolves, no doubt. Their shouting was almost comforting in the dire situation, for it was the only familiar thing Naruto had. Naruto ran so fast he didn't notice the voices die down, changing into something more urgent. Only when he heard the whip of something snake-like and a strangled cry did he stop, so close to the exit.

"Why so fast to leave, Naruto?" A voice mused, the same evil voice he'd heard many times. It wasn't Kyomu, no; there was no doubt in his mind that Kyomu was back in that room writing. Besides, this voice was true. Naruto turned to look, to gasp. It was exactly who he thought, in flesh and blood. With his arm held up, Kabuto had Kiba and Akamaru by the neck with some of the snakes from his sleeve. Yet, this Kabuto wasn't the exact Kabuto the blond could remember. His face was scaly, white…exactly like Orochimaru.

The Village Hero clenched his fists. Could this be another Genjutsu? He came close to attempting to release it, when Kabuto called, "Don't even bother. I'm real, as real as I can be." The snakes tightened their grip on the victims' throats, causing Naruto to jump forward. "So I see you've figured it out, though. Who Kyomu is, and I mean _really _is; a crackpot experiment gone wrong. Doesn't it confuse you how he's able to do what he does? It certainly does me, and I _made_ him…but he is _so_ good at fooling people…"

"Stop it!" Naruto growled, nodding down to his friends. "They're not involved in this, let them go."

Kabuto laughed. "Oh, so you can hurt your friends, but I can't? Oh, don't give me that face, Naruto. You could have figured out it was all fake a long time ago, and saved them from this. You could have spared them by coming here alone, it would have saved everyone so much trouble." Kabuto's yellow eyes looked down to the Inuzuka and his dog as they drifted in and out of consciousness. The snakes tensed.

A few steps forward and Naruto was prepared to pounce. "What do you want with me, them, any of us?" He demanded, eyes anxiously flickering to his captured friends. His side called out in pain, even his bicep hurt from Akamaru, but he ignored it.

"What makes you think I want any of you, dear boy?" Kyomu asked, his brows furrowed. He frowned at the notion, and to prove it the snakes picked the two prisoners up and chucked them at the wall. The two fell to the ground, and did not get up. "I don't want any of you, you're just in my way. This base was heavily protected for a reason, your friends just unluckily stumbled on it, releasing the jutsu just like you and your team. Oh, that Shikamaru, he sure was quick to feel something that was off. I couldn't just let him discover this base."

He folded his hands in front of his chest as the snakes slithered back into his sleeve, now revealing themselves to be a part of his actual arm. Naruto nearly gagged. "This base is purely experimental, Kyomu included. That fool really is a wreck, not following orders. I told him to kill your friends, but what does he do? Torture them instead, says he needs information on shinigami. What a crazy bastard, I think… Still, I let him do it. I let him work. He can be quite the entertainment when you let him." Kabuto smirked.

Nervously Naruto glanced to Kiba and Akamaru, it was hard to tell if they were still alive. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

Kabuto smiled a sicking smile, but at this point Naruto had seen enough of that. The blond unexpectedly ran forward, and thrust all his strength into latching on to Kabuto's throat. The smile never left his face.

"Everything I do has a reason, Naruto." He said in a strained voice. "Everything I've ever done has a reason and a limit. Kyomu's time is up. I want him gone, but at this point I can't stop him, he doesn't listen to me anymore." The longer he spoke, the more he shrunk down in Naruto's hand. Kabuto literally shrunk, melted you could say until it was just his cloak in a heap on the floor. Naruto's hand closed together in anger where Kabuto's neck once was.

Sighing, the teen released his anger when he looked back to his friend's forms, lying so helplessly on the ground. He approached the duo. First came Akamaru, who Naruto ran a hand over. The fur was dirty, and there was an unmistakable wound on his stomach, shaped like he was hit with rasengan. Naruto urgently turned to Kiba when his friend began to cough, his hands animated as he clutched his stomach. Eagerly looking to his friends for life with his back to Kabuto's cloak, Naruto failed to notice the white snake that slithered out of the pile and away.

Kiba's eyes opened wide as they searched the area, first coming across Akamaru. Instantly he sat up, but was so stricken with pain in his abdomen that he fell back down. Finally his eyes came across Naruto, but strangely they weren't filled with fiery anger. Thankfully, they were filled with curiosity.

"Dude…" Kiba murmured, craning his neck to look up at Naruto. "What happened here? Why are we so beat up?" His eyes came across Naruto's bloodied arm and instantly widened. "Oh shit, Akamaru didn't do that, did he?"

_Good old Kiba_, Naruto thought happily. He could forgive all of it, considering two of his comrades were still alive. Naruto waved his hands dismissively. "Don't worry about it. You were under some madman's Genjutsu." Kiba obviously didn't understand, his face twisted into an incomprehensible scowl. Naruto shrugged and added, "Let me explain…"

It was then Naruto went on a long explanation about what had happened, specifically mentioning how everything that happened as soon as they entered the large room had to be Genjutsu. The explanation was long, but Naruto held nothing back for modesty. He explained everything from the portals Kyomu made to how they nicked the floor with their shoes in a deadly spar. Kiba seemed especially apologetic, and Naruto kept it that way. He wasn't about to admit that he was the one who left that indent on Akamaru, rather he blamed it on a certain scaly-skinned Kabuto.

When the explanation came to an end, Naruto didn't know what to do. He needed to go find the room his shadow clones saw, but couldn't just _leave _Kiba and Akamaru there defenseless. Kiba did a good job of hiding his injuries, Akamaru too, as they encouraged Naruto to go on; they claimed that Sakura would come soon, no doubt, and heal them.

"Naruto, you must continue the mission. Hinata, Ino, Choji, and even Shikamaru need you." Kiba consoled, "We know the kidnapping isn't jutsu, it's _real_." Kiba finished by pulling himself up to sit against the wall with a hand lightly resting on Akamaru's side.

Naruto nodded in understanding. He didn't want to leave Kiba, but their other friends needed him more. The blond sighed as he glanced towards both tall archways. Each, in their own sense, looked like a good option. Like he had before, during what he assumed to be Genjutsu, he decided to guess which one to go through. Yet guessing wasn't an option, at least not for Kiba, who coughed and pointed to the archway furthest on the right. Naruto briefly asked why.

"Uh, dude," he mumbled, pointing to his nose, "super senses, remember?"

The Village Hero nodded solemnly. "Oh, right…I forgot." He responded prior to following Kiba's senses and walking through the designated archway. As soon as he stepped through the wall closed behind him, the edges blurring together as a large and hard slab came down and blocked the exit. Naruto wasn't worried, no, not about Kiba. He trusted that Kiba would be up in no time. Naruto was more worried about himself.

With the exit gone…there was no getting out of this one.

xXx

**A/N: **Yes, I know the similarity between Kyomu's white "world" and Madara's white "world". I wanted to do it black and purple, like the sky up in space, but decided not to. Let's keep in mind that in Asia, white is the color for death like black is here in America. I'm not entirely sure if the same applies for Japan too, but there's a good chance it does.

Also, did you guys know that 'I'll' isn't a word, but we'll is (I think)? But we use it in speech so much, that I haven't omitted it from dialogue yet. When a person says "I will" it just sounds too formal!

Kyomu is confusing, I know. Just trust me when I say it will all be explained, how he can do what he do. There might be a whole Chapter dedicated to his origins, I don't know yet. I'm still debating whether to kill him off or make him an ally… You can help decide, just review the story and tell me which you would prefer.

See ya,

Dahlia


	24. A New Side to Ichigo

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or Bleach. But I do own… Wait, didn't I already say something like that?

xXx

Alone. It was a feeling Naruto was no stranger to. His childhood had been nothing but a wide expanse of it. He'd lived alone, laughed alone, and played completely alone. Often he would sit on that rusted wooden swing outside the Academy and push himself with his little ankles. Thus, one would think he would eventually become accustomed the dreary feelings that accompanied solitude. Sure, in time he had. But things had changed when people like Iruka, Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura came into his life. He wasn't alone anymore, and they gave him assurance he would never have to be again.

Yet there he was, alone. He felt reduced to a child again, the eerie silence was disheartening. The vast underground halls of the base and their dimly lit walls reminded him all too much of the orphanage. However same the environment may have appeared, Naruto knew he wasn't the same person. As a child he was completely alone, without friends; now he was the Village Hero and was supported by an entire village of cheering people.

The thought of his friends, including the friends he was determined to rescue, put a new fervor to his quickened step as he rushed forward. He followed the hallways on his instinct, relying on the last memory of Kyomu's supposed office that his clones saw before they poofed. The room would appear slightly different than the reoccurring clay walls he was passing through now. The office walls would be plain, without pattern and without color.

His hopes flew when he came across a detour where the walls were exactly like what his clones had seen. He sped up to a rushed jog, stopping to kick open any doors that blocked him from his friends. Naruto was anything but worried about secrecy; the real Kyomu had already run into his clones. Now he was only concerned with Former Team Asuma and Hinata.

About the sixth door down Naruto felt a presence nearby. He froze before the door, leaning his ear lightly against it to listen. The only noise he was able to hear was the shuffling of chains against a hard floor. Naruto's brow furrowed. The walls were thick, and made out of some material that blocked his senses, whereas doors were thinner but no less impenetrable. He could just barely make out two chakra signatures, but didn't want to rush in without knowing. He could walk into a trap!

The thought of a trap was humorous and forced a small smirk. Trap or not, nothing was going to stop the hot-headed Naruto from barging into a possible fight in order to save his friends. The teen, logic no longer needed, pushed the clay door open with a force that sent it reeling back and banging against the wall. He took his first step into the room.

Now instead he could clearly feel and see the presence of four people; his friends. First he surveyed the room, resembling an old lab of some sort. The walls were plain, but hung and decorated with various scientific and torturous instruments. Cabinets were stocked full with vials of discolored liquid. Immediately his attention was focused on his friends, dirty, disheveled, and chained to the floor by their wrists and ankles. Naruto rushed towards them, starting with Chouji who was closest to him. He fumbled with the chains.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata chimed, uplifted. Beside her Ino was with the same enthusiasm, just without words. "We knew you'd come…" Hinata wisped, hardly audible.

Despite the grime on his features, a smirk could be seen on Shikamaru's face. "Good timing." He mumbled.

Chouji loudly intercepted, "Yeah, the creepy guy left a second ago."

It was a shame. Naruto had been hoping to run into the man who called himself "Kyomu" and beat the living daylights out of him. Oh, well, at least he'd managed to track down his friends… "Wait," Naruto sputtered, "Where was he going?"

The captives shrugged, their faces clearly saying "as if I know". A part of Naruto worried that Kyomu would go after Sakura, Shino, or Kiba. No matter how strong the three thought they were, they were nothing against Kyomu if they didn't recognize his genjutsu. That man intricately laced the jutsu with reality, or at least that was Naruto's hypothesis. After all, the man made Naruto believe they were fighting, when in reality he was fighting a good friend!

He went back to business with the chains, using Kage no Bunshin to produce a clone that would help him with the Rasengan. If his hands couldn't break the chains themselves –if only he had Sakura's crazy strength- then a basic Rasengan would have to do so. He sighed, carefully angling the rasengan against the chains. When the two met there were sparks. By the time he'd gotten Chouji's right arm free, he'd groaned and said, "What are we, in olden times…what kind of a crackpot uses chains!"

His joke, which usually would have brought a smile to Hinata's face, instead brought a sudden wave of shock over his friends. The four of them looked aghast, and then slowly began to look angry. Naruto was confused. "My joke wasn't _that_ bad, was it?" He coaxed from them, getting no response until Shikamaru nodded his head forward and behind Naruto's back.

The Village Hero noticed his friends' distant looks that weren't directed at him, but behind him. The sharingan still running in his palm, he swiveled on the balls of his feet to look up from his knelt position. Black spiky hair, a white lab coat…

"…and what kind of crackpot would that be?"

Kyomu stood at the other side of the room, one gloved hand toying with what appeared to be a black ring on his other. His voice sounded amused, but his body language gave off something more intimidating. It was relatable, how it must have felt to walk in right in on a rescue attempt for his captives.

Naruto wasted no time for talking, his instincts kicked in as he jumped towards the man and angled his sharingan forward. He swiped at the man's chest, but was quickly evaded as Kyomu twirled to the right, aiming a speedy jab at Naruto's side. Naruto dodged it just barely, being scratched by Kyomu's spiked gloves in the process.

As he made another attempt to hit with the sharingan, Kyomu dispersed into tiny little particles in the blink of an eye, reappearing in Naruto's blind spot and attempting to impale Naruto's back with a kunai.

"Naruto, behind you!" Hinata was quick to call out, allowing Naruto enough time to swing his leg back in a round-house kick, effectively hitting the stoic Kyomu in the jaw. No sooner had Kyomu knelt over to cradle his jaw did he disappear into tiny pieces.

Naruto was almost positive this Kyomu was real. Not only was his behavior less social than the other two –a chatty side being increasingly evident in clones of the current century- but Naruto hadn't entered the room alone and alert. Ever since then he'd been keeping his senses peeled for any genjutsu. It was probably due to his earlier encounter with Kyomu that the man hadn't used any genjutsu yet. A disillusionment or not, Naruto still knew one of his techniques.

But _damn _Kyomu moved fast. Within seconds he was on the offensive again, up close and sparring with Naruto before dispersing in and out of the conflict. It seemed whenever Naruto began to have the upper hand, Kyomu would disappear and reappear in order to gain the advantage. The occurrences where he transported were so fleeting and untraceable. Naruto was sure that, if he entered Sage Mode, he would be able to detect and respond to Kyomu's next move before he even made it. However, there was no time in between strikes and spars to meditate and focus.

A crushing blow to his abdomen sent Naruto's thoughts and visions in a whir. He fell to his knees from the loss of breath. Kyomu arched one of his own kicks at Naruto's face, returning the bruise and chipped teeth he had been given. As Naruto fell to his side, Kyomu attempted to kick the arm injured by Akamaru when Naruto skillfully rolled away.

The Village Hero climbed to his feet, hands prepared to fire off a jutsu at any moment. However, their fighting seized. With a sweaty brow and heaving chest, Naruto tensed from the pause. This didn't seem very normal.

Kyomu, who had yet to be seriously hurt, crossed his hands behind his back. "You know, we could end this meaningless fighting if you just told me where the shinigami is." The madman offered, raising his eyebrows and nodding his head to his captives. "You and your friends would be free, just give me what I want."

Naruto spat some of the blood from his lower lip onto the ground before Kyomu's feet. "Never! You won't get anything from us."

His head fell back for a quick, gluttonous laugh. "Ha! Kids these days." He mused, his momentary humor fading into a dangerous seriousness. "You don't really think you can make it past this point alive, do you? You're facing me _alone_, your only allies either out fighting my wolves, about to die from blood loss, or chained to that very wall."

Naruto weighed the options, partially disturbed at how accurately Kyomu guessed his situation. Nonetheless, he weighed them anyways. Honor and duty was everything to shinobi, but so was the mission. If sacrificing Ichigo would save some of Konoha's finest Chuunin then, by all means, he should give Ichigo's identity away! Besides, he didn't particularly fancy the guy. Naruto glanced to his friends, their stoic faces unnerving. Those who didn't know about shinigami (i.e. Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji) were clueless and stoic whereas Hinata was shaking her head madly. She mouthed her rejection of the idea.

"Don't tell him, Naruto!" Hinata called, gasping as Kyomu appeared at her side, a kunai under her chin.

Rolling his eyes, Kyomu lazily responded, "Tell you're girlfriend to shut up, will 'ya? She's not exactly helping your case here."

"Why are you feeding this guy with-" Chouji almost ended by saying 'delusions' when, despite the situation, he had a realization. Naruto and Kyomu were vastly serious, not once did Naruto chuckle or snort at the absurdity of shinigami. Chouji nearly choked. "Wait…shinigami are real?"

At this Kyomu looked intrigued. Quickly he took the kunai away, but to prevent any more outbursts he put Hinata in a light genjutsu. "Yes, they are real. Very real." Kyomu explaining, smiling evilly. "You'll be shocked to know one's been living under your nose this whole time."

Naruto ground his teeth. This wasn't a secret for Kyomu to tell. Naruto may have disliked Ichigo, but he severely had it out for any gossip –even if it involved his most hated, woman-stealing rival since Sasuke. His hands tightened in their current sign. Quietly, he whispered and two clones appeared at his sides.

"ENOUGH!" Naruto burst, taking a running start at Kyomu with his clones aiding in the creation of two sharingan. Again began the sparring as Naruto swung both arms forward as to lock the man in. However, the attack was rushed and barely thought out. Quickly Kyomu had a good hold on both of Naruto's wrists, throwing the hero back on his bum.

The kunai he'd used on Hinata was suddenly thrown straight at Naruto's head, just missing and impaling the ground only inches away. "Just tell me where the damn shinigami is!" Kyomu demanded. His face was rabid, any more determined and he would be foaming at the mouth.

The door, still left wide open, let Naruto soak in the presence of one other. He'd been around his friends all of his life and this one was relatively new. The closer it came, the more he recognized its shaky hold on itself. He smiled.

The Village Hero felt new enthusiasm for battle when he recognized a head of orange hair in the doorway. He nodded his head towards the person.

"Behind you." The scraggly teenage voice of one Ichigo Kurosaki rang out.

xXx

Ichigo who had never truly been involved on an official mission, was not the type to pass this significant one up. Yes, he may not have known the kidnapped that well, and yes he'd been kicked off the mission. But neither of those things seemed too important when it came to his personal choice on the matter. These people and others from their village had welcomed him and given him a place to stay. They had been hospitable to him, and generous. If he owed them anything, it was the small task of saving their lives from an all inclusive psychopath.

He followed the group's path until he came to a rather grimy village. Near the village well, he felt his whole body be immersed in something before released. (Though he was yet to find out what that specific blocking force was, and why it didn't seem to work on him.) Before him was a wide expanse of carnage and destruction. Buildings burnt down, piles of rubble with bodies buried under them. Hell, even the sky was a truly disturbing smoky hue. Even more prominent was the dead wolf carcasses that littered the open field in front of an empty well.

Kyomu's eyes caught sight of a larger, but still wrecked, building. He went inside nonchalantly and unknowingly followed the same path Naruto and Kiba had. Just like they were, he was appalled by the massive grave he landed in upon going underground. It was disgusting, and inhumane. The smell of rotting flesh made his stomach churn, and he had a sudden boiling anger to find the culprit behind the genocide and mutilation.

Coming upon his first fork in the road, Kyomu was at a loss of what to do. He was already late, there was no telling what might happen if he didn't meet up with the group soon. It was then Ichigo remembered the very light power he'd used when Ishida first bombarded Karakura with hollows.

With even breathing and closed eyes, Ichigo focused on his senses. Slowly it kicked in, and he could almost feel the ribbons of eight distinct souls, two of which were in particular distress. He felt Sakura's ribbon, and was so tempted to pull on it but stopped himself; she wasn't one of the injured. Rather than focusing on the ribbons of everyone, he singled out Hinata's as the most recognizable and followed it. Gradually he opened his eyes again and gained in speed and momentum.

He could still feel the ribbon in his hand, directing him in the right direction. It cut off in a strange hallway, one whose walls were discolored compared to the rest of the maze. He followed it, eventually turning a corner and making out the sound of fighting.

"_Just tell me where the damn shinigami is!_"

Ichigo froze, suddenly rooted to the spot. Had he heard that right? It was a shock, considering his secret was supposed to be kept within the confines of Konoha's inner circle. It was unheard of, how this complete stranger knew of him…then again, what if he _didn't _know him? What if Kyomu was only after a single shinigami, and Ichigo's identity was still safe. On the thought of his identity he glanced down to his hakama. If he went in, there would be no hiding it. Either Naruto would blab, or Kyomu would be suspicious of the uniform.

Cautiously Ichigo approached the doorway and stepped into view. Almost immediately he noted a roughed-up Naruto on his back, and four Konoha nin chained to the floor. The one known as Kyomu had his back to Ichigo, but that would change soon enough.

"Behind you," Ichigo replied, reaching back and taking Zangetsu by the hilt. The gleaming sword unwrapped itself and settled in Ichigo's palm.

With the sudden interruption Kyomu directed his body to face Ichigo, a smile coaxed onto his face. He looked from Ichigo's uniform, to his sword, and then to his face. Suddenly, Kyomu's face fell. "A little young to be a Soul Reaper…" He mumbled. Before Ichigo could rise to the objection, Kyomu continued, "Ah, oh well."

The genjutsu master quickly dispersed into small particles, leaving the room empty. Ichigo, unaware, quickly came forward to Naruto and began to speak; he was immediately shushed by a certain blond haired hero.

"He's not gone," Naruto whispered, listening intently as he settled into a nomadic position of meditation.

"What the-" Ichigo barked, "We're in the middle of a fig-" Ichigo was effectively shushed yet again. He scowled at Naruto, who offered a brief smirk before returning to full concentration. Ichigo's eyebrow twitched in irritation. He came in order to assist the fight, not take full control. Half-tempted to strangle Naruto himself, Ichigo took a deep breath and focused on his surroundings.

There was a tingling sensation in the air behind him. It felt like static from a television with a horrible connection. Ichigo couldn't distinguish precisely what it was, until he heard the quite mumbling of madman in pursuit. Ichigo spun around and bent backwards in order to dodge a stabbing attempt with a dripping syringe. He sighed in relief when he missed it, and quickly pushed Kyomu's arm back in the process. Still, the syringe was somewhat of an annoyance. What the hell was Kyomu doing bringing a _syringe _to a knife fight?

Again Kyomu came forward, and this time Ichigo would be prepared. He unsheathed his long blade from its wrappings on its back and held it before him. He blocked the second attempt of injection before taking the offensive. Ichigo swung Zangetsu at his front, only to slice through air again. The conniving circus act that Kyomu was made the fight tense. Kyomu could be anywhere, at anytime, and Ichigo had to pray he wouldn't leave himself open for attack.

During a brief pause in the fighting Ichigo ran to the allies chained to the wall, sending a spiteful stare Naruto's way. He first came to Shikamaru and thrust down Zangetsu in a hurry, effectively breaking the chain and setting his right hand free. Briefly Shikamaru rubbed at his free wrist affectionately, but it was far too early for thanks, there was still his left hand and feet to break free.

Unfortunately, a quick kick to his chest sent Ichigo flying across the room, his back hitting a wall adorned with sharp tools. He grimaced, sliding to the ground. This room was anything but a safe fighting environment. Not only was it filled with dangerous objects Kyomu could use to his advantage, but it was small for Ichigo's usual fighting technique.

Kyomu ran towards Ichigo with the syringe in his hands, forcing Ichigo to quickly block it with Zangetsu's flat edge and roll away, instruments of torture sticking out of his back from the wall. Needless to say he was thankful for his thicker shikai skin.

Again he was reminded of the room size when he attempted at swipe with Zangetsu at Kyomu, but scratched the nearest wall and nearly decapitated poor Chouji. The size put a damper on his confidence, and added more danger to the lives of those he was trying to save.

It probably wasn't the best of solutions, but Ichigo's first instinct was to forcibly make the room bigger; he wanted to expand it. Ichigo swiveled to the farthest wall, also littered with sharp tools. "Getsuga Tenshou!" He roared, sending a sharp wave crashing through the lab furniture until it finally hit the wall. A cloud of smoke erupted on impact, making it hard to see where everyone was. Nonetheless, Ichigo jogged in the direction he'd fired the blast and jumped through the now large, gaping whole in the wall.

The room next door was nice, large, and empty. The only object in it was a floor-to-ceiling cabinet, which still allowed a lot of free space for Ichigo to fight. He centered himself in the room, waiting for Kyomu's attack. As the smoke cleared in the other room, his eyes viciously searched for a white lab coat but saw nothing. Kyomu had disappeared again.

The man in question reappeared to Ichigo's left in a split second and ruthlessly sucker-punched Ichigo in the gut. Ichigo dropped to the ground and released Zangetsu to the floor with a clatter. The shinigami coughed up blood, spraying drops on the floor and Kyomu's feet.

"Quite a nice little technique you have, destroying my lab like that." Kyomu mumbled sadistically. He pursed his lips, wondering aloud, "Can all shinigami do that?" His left hand held the syringe now and swiftly attempted to puncture Ichigo's shoulder.

The teen rolled backwards just in time and jumped to his feet. He wiped the blood off his mouth with his sleeve. "Only the cool ones," he responded.

The sparring continued, but never changed. The same result would always occur: either Ichigo sustained an injury, or just barely missed an attack with the pesky syringe. He didn't know what was in the vial, but he wasn't about to find out. The fighting was increasingly infuriating, Kyomu always knew the right time to disappear and come back stronger, pushing Ichigo around like a rag doll. Needless to say, the teen wasn't having much luck.

Kyomu came at him from the front this time. He sank low and stabbed towards Ichigo's unexpected calve. Ichigo dodged by kneeing Kyomu in the gut. He watched with satisfaction as Kyomu stumbled backwards, and was far too proud of himself to notice the sudden appearance of a _second _Kyomu behind him.

A needle was violently shoved through the tendons and into the back of his left shoulder. Though shocked, Ichigo's body suddenly became paralyzed as his body sank to the floor. He had no control over his muscles. "W-what is th-hat?"

The Kyomu that had been hit in the stomach poofed away as the second sauntered to the front. He snapped the edge of the syringe, letting the remainder of the silvery liquid squirt out in a single push. He smiled wickedly. "Just a simple liquefied genjutsu… Saves chakra to do it this way, plus it's much easier to lug you around when you're not fighting, shinigami."

Ichigo finally collapsed to his side, right next to Zangetsu on the cold hard floor. His neck, paralyzed like the rest of his body, tilted his head only enough to let him see the upper half of Kyomu's body. The Konoha nin were all left to mystery as they were lower in the picture.

The last thing he saw before he drifted away was Naruto, but at the same time it _wasn't _Naruto. His eyes were frog-like, with soft black rectangles for pupil while he had an orange undertone to his eyelids. This Naruto's energy was controlled. Before his eyelids finally gave way to the liquid, Ichigo got to see the new Naruto knock Kyomu to the side roughly, thus beginning the battle again.

xXx

Shikamaru was never one for the unnecessary usage of energy. Jounin or not, whenever he was handed a mission file the first thing that would come from his mouth was "Can't you get someone else to do it?" Of course, he knew that would never happen. Most missions he was called in for needed his exceptional skill set. His plans were usually fool-proof. That, however, was only because the majority of the time they knew everything about the mission.

The specific mission of scouting out one of Kabuto's supposed bases was one that he didn't belong to. He wasn't a scout, nor was he very enthusiastic about travelling to the border of a foreign nation. Initially he supposed Tsunade's inclination to assign him this mission was because of his Jounin status and "superb" leadership skills. Upon being kidnapped, however, the reason became obvious: It was only he who would be able to access the skills of the unknown enemy accurately.

Initially he'd tried to escape, and Kyomu hadn't expected him to use Chouji as a distraction while he brought a shadow up and around Kyomu's throat. Unfortunately, Kyomu had noticed it soon enough to dodge and survive. Though it wasn't being chained to the floor like animals that bothered Shikamaru, it was how Kyomu had purposefully stepped and crushed the fingers on his left hand. Ouch.

Nonetheless, he and Hinata seemed to be the voices of reason on the mission, as they consoled the other two that it was likely back-up would arrive soon enough and get them out of there. Or at least, that's what they had assumed.

Now, Shikamaru regretted the back-up that had been sent. Ichigo and Naruto were doing a bang-up job trying to defeat the raving lunatic with a dripping syringe on their own. He was sparred some shame when Ichigo freed Shikamaru's right hand, before being thrown back into battle; literally. Shikamaru couldn't help but grimace when Ichigo hit the wall.

The battle went onward as Shikamaru struggled with his restraints, occasionally glancing at Naruto. It seemed both he and Naruto had the same idea: use Ichigo as a distraction while they got themselves ready for combat. Shikamaru used a weak one-handed shadow jutsu to break his broken left hand free before moving to his ankles.

He was finally completely free by the time Ichigo was in peril and fallen on the floor. Naruto was already up and running, attacking Kyomu with the brute force of a Sage, while Shikamaru began to free the others chained to the wall, and release Hinata from the loopy genjutsu she was currently enveloped in.

In full Sage Mode it seemed Naruto had an easier time dodging, and anticipating Kyomu's attacks and whereabouts. Even so, the battle was still equal. Kyomu was just as strong. As the fighting raged far off, Shikamaru eventually broke the chains off of the other three captives, before glancing back at Naruto.

A gentle hand on his shoulder brought his attention elsewhere. Hinata offered a forced smile. "He will be fine, he can hold his own now." Hinata told Shikamaru, earning an approving nod from Ino.

Quickly, Shikamaru agreed and led the group out of the room. He attempted to get as far away from Kyomu as he could without their disappearance noted. Their escape relied on Naruto being able to hold Kyomu's attention. It wasn't exactly the best of plans, considering Naruto had the uncanny habit of wasting the whole of his energy in the beginnings of a brawl.

After a while Shikamaru thought he was in the clear and the group slowed their pace before stopping altogether. It was Hinata who stopped the group, her Byakugan active. She took a step ahead, swiveling around to them.

"Do you hear that…? Hinata murmured softly.

The others listened intently. Indeed, Shikamaru could hear rumbling coming from what he thought to be inside the walls. It sounded a magnitude proportion of collisions where stone and clay crumbled. It started from a distance, but became louder as the source came closer. Still far off in the distance, the group was so engrossed in locating the source that the presence of another went right past them.

Kyomu's shadow clone, one they hadn't seen him make nor direct, caught their attention when he appeared at their front. Nobody was prepared to fight Kyomu, not even if this one wasn't real. They'd seen what he'd done to Ichigo, and how easily he could keep up with Naruto. Yet they had to try. Kyomu was an enemy and a danger to the village, especially since he was clinically insane –from his disturbing belief of shinigami, that is.

Chuckling at their surprised looks, Kyomu's clone cracked his knuckles. He was seemingly uninterested in the rumbling and vibrating that grew louder by the second, and by the time he was it was far too late.

Shikamaru didn't know why, but Hinata looked more than happy by the way her face glowed. She had been concentrating on the source of the noise for a while. "I can see it!" She murmured quietly, her words being the thing that gave Kyomu's clone interest in the noise.

For the second time during that mission, a thick cloud of dust and debris erupted when a strong force broke through the wall. Sakura made quite an entrance as she jumped over chunks of wall in order to impale the clone with a shuriken, pleased at how easily it poofed.

Having come straight from using the majority of her strength to heal Kiba, her chest heaved up and down. Still, she was a woman on a mission. She pointed a finger back to the various holes she created in the walls, leading a path through several rooms and hallways until it came to a large, open space. "Shino and Kiba are down there waiting to take you out of here." She told them, ushering them through the first hole.

About to leave the group, Sakura was stopped by a familiar grip on her hand. She turned to Ino, who looked to her with all seriousness. "Are they real, Sakura?" Ino asked softly.

How or why they had suddenly become so interested in things of the unknown, Sakura was ignorant of. However, she had a hunch on what it had to do with, and was not about to go against Ichigo. Without another word she took her arm back and sped off, jumping over the chunks of wall that blocked her path.

xXx

Naruto did his best to subdue Kyomu in order for Shikamaru to get the others far enough away, but nobody is perfect. After one shameless and very painful hit to his bitten arm, Kyomu had noticed the absence of his captives and send a shadow clone after them. It all happened so fast, the kunai Naruto threw didn't make it to the shadow clone in time. Thus they were on their own, and so was he.

Naruto's sage Jutsu allowed him to predict and respond, much to Kyomu's dismay. He felt a tingling to his left and immediately struck out, catching the reforming Kyomu in the jaw yet again. The creep, finally hit without expecting it, took a few steps back. Naruto thrust shuriken his way, watching with intrigue as Kyomu raised his hand. The shuriken dispersed into particles just as Kyomu had, reappearing directly behind the man.

Kyomu laughed mockingly. "Fighting two-to-one is really unfair, but I guess that doesn't matter much anymore." He pulled his gloves up his arms further, the black stretching against his finger. Again his attention returned to a specific finger, one adorned with a black ring. He twisted the jewelry around. "Though I have to say, you could have chosen a better partner. One who is so easy to distract really won-" Kyomu suddenly stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening as he looked Ichigo's way.

Ichigo was gone. In his place stood a towering beast with glowing yellow eyes, a bone mask, and a thirst for blood. The creature exploded in an earth-shattering snarl. The sound was one Naruto would never forget, for it was one eerily familiar to him. Like Naruto was to the Kyuubi, this strange form was to Ichigo; an inner-torment.

Kyomu instinctively smiled. "Better than I imagined." He happily mumbled to himself. The initial shock was stupendous, and Kyomu was rooted to the spot. Kyomu never, not once, imagined a shinigami could do something as spectacular as this. He watched with wonder.

xXx

Ichigo Kurosaki, a substitute shinigami, excelling student, son, and a brother. He had his loyalties and morals, but they were never so roughly questioned until times like these, times where he was stuck in an inner-battle.

He'd been in his inner-mind again, like the time Zangetsu and White Ichigo teamed up to teach him his bankai. But this time was different. Zangetsu was gone, having abandoned the inner-world for this specific question. The only one there to accompany Ichigo had been White Ichigo, or as the Visored knew him: Hollow Ichigo.

Like their usual confrontations, Ichigo and White Ichigo fought madly. They slashed at each other, falling off buildings and defying gravity. It was just like old times, but unlike old times the fighting was for something different: control. The liquid injection had put Ichigo asleep and left him alone with his innermost desires, the type of things that tended to drive Hollows out from their dark, eerie hiding places.

"_Face it, Ichigo_!" White Ichigo would holler madly as they sparred. "_You can't protect anyone without my power!" _In which Ichigo would reply with a scowl and a hasty slash before rolling on his toes and engaging in some witty banter about how he had obtained new powers. Of course, White Ichigo wouldn't let it end there. "_Yeah, powers that you can only use when you're _awake_!_"

Good point.

Unfortunately, there were truths to White Ichigo's words. It was obvious that in his current state he could not defeat Kyomu, and as much as he wanted to trust and rely on Naruto, he couldn't. There was always the chance Naruto would lose, too, letting Kyomu have free reign on all the others in his compound. Shino, Kiba, Akamaru, and Sakura would all be in danger. The overwhelming desire to protect her, even though she was fully capable of protecting herself, infected Ichigo.

The moment White Ichigo saw this weakness for a certain roseate he rose to the top and fought harder, catching the real Ichigo off guard. The mental struggle on the inside continued, but on the outside things were different. White Ichigo had the control their, transforming Ichigo onto the one thing inside of him that he feared. The entity that -though used to protect his friends in context- only put the lives of his friends in danger. Orihime and Chad had almost died because of his carelessness to control the Hollow.

On the outside it was a flurry of colors, just Kyomu against Hollow Ichigo while Naruto sat in the background. The Village Hero, naturally, had no idea who to assist and who to attack. He didn't even know if the creature was still Ichigo. Sure, the thing wore the typical hakama of a shinigami, but his face was hidden by a daunting white, red, and black mask made of _bone_. The only thing that related this monster to Ichigo in any way was the patch of orange hair on its head.

This fake Ichigo radiated an essence of an icy hell, quite possibly possessing the speed and strength of a god; though that was more like an exaggerated observation from Naruto's point of view. It was a dominant foe against Kyomu, all the while it said nothing. As it stabbed, growled, and sparred it uttered no words. Whereas Kyomu was quite the talker, considering he was infatuated with Ichigo and shinigami in general.

It was then Ichigo saw something peculiar. He didn't know why he drawn to it, but something about the black ring around Kyomu's finger connected to the Hollow inside. It froze, purring at the object now directly in its sights. Kyomu evidently caught wind of this. He began to disperse right before their eyes, but to Naruto's astonishment this new and scary Ichigo stuck his hand into the particles and managed to grab hold of Kyomu's ring hand; thus forcing Kyomu to take Hollow Ichigo with him.

From there it was like trying to watch a group of children throw fire-crackers on New Years. The duo reappeared in several places. First they were both pushed up against a wall, and nearly feel to the ground before disappearing again. The next moment they were madly rolling in the air. It was a lasting struggle. It almost looked like Kyomu's jutsu was malfunctioning with Ichigo's added weight, forcing the two of them to pop in and out at different, random locations.

It was during reappearance in the air over a pile of debris that Ichigo finally let go and pushed himself away. The creature landed on its feet, while Kyomu was not so lucky. In the debris a wooden table was broken in half, one half having a long, sharp broken end pointed right up towards the ceiling; and it was precisely where Kyomu landed.

Kyomu was impaled upon impact in the stomach.

"Ouch," Naruto blabbered.

Ichigo approached Kyomu's form, but Naruto was faster. The hero quickly slid the ring off one of Kyomu's fingers and clutched it in his hand, standing before the beast bravely. Like a reckless fool, he held the ring out and swung it around on his own finger.

"Is this what you want, huh?" Naruto asked loudly, tentatively taking steps backwards as Hollow Ichigo came closer. He felt his resolution slip. "T-then give me back Ichigo, and you can have it!" The creature growled in response.

The desire to destroy was enormous. It beat out any logic or moral the real Ichigo attempted to conquer it with. Whether or not his control was weakened by the strange liquid injected, Ichigo had a harder time gaining back control than he had all the other moments of Hollowfication. In this new world, there was so much to explore, and his hollow wanted to do all the exploring for itself. First thing first, it had to destroy whatever was in its way.

The ring was lost to him now. Hollow Ichigo unveiled his wrath on Naruto, growling and approaching faster, further. He picked up a nearby rock from the destruction of the wall, and without warning slammed it at the side of Naruto's head. Naruto caught his wrist, and held the force only Inches away. Sweat beaded above his brow.

He pushed the stone harder, but his strength was matched by Naruto. "You don't have to do this;" Naruto spoke shakily, "Mission's done. We can all go home now." With his Sage Mode slipping, Naruto brought a second hand up to force the stone away. He had the feeling that if he let it make contact with his skull, it would give him much more than just a concussion and a black-out.

A sickeningly familiar voice and presence entered the room. Under that red vest of hers, her heart beat rapidly. Her face was so sweaty her short pink hair stuck to the sides like glue. She rushed into the room and crashed Ichigo's subconscious into reality like a tidal wave. Her eyes were wide with fear and worry, but Ichigo wouldn't allow them to be that way any longer.

Before he could make a real attempt at fighting White Ichigo, a sharp pain broke out in his already abdomen. He turned his fading yellow eyes back to Naruto, who held a kunai in his stomach. Returning to him, Ichigo's morphed voice cried out but lacked the right words.

Naruto pulled away, causing Ichigo to stumble to his knees and cough up more blood. "W-What happened?" He babbled slowly. His mask fell, and his world went back to black.

xXx

Several instances Ichigo fluttered to consciousness only to black out again. Once when he opened those eyes, he viewed Sakura and Naruto hovering over him followed by a blinding light green light. The light sent a warm tingling feeling to his injuries, and to his heart. He was comforted by it. The second instance he opened his eyes the others were there talking to Sakura in the distance. For a brief moment he worried if she'd tell them his secret, but the thought faded away as he fell back and closed his eyes.

xXx

**A/N: **Does it seem a little rushed? I feel like the end was… Anyways, sorry for the confusion. Originally I put a different chapter here, but I'm saving Kyomu's origin story for later. Anyways, it looks like my beta-reader has dropped off the face of the earth. So, I edited this one myself, but I know I missed a lot. It's hard to put a critical eye to my own work... Sigh...

Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I cannot express how much it warms my heart to see them!

~ Dahlia


	25. Repercussions

**Disclaimer****: **I do not own Naruto or Bleach, this fanfic is for nonprofit and entertainment only. Although, some reviews might be a nice form of payment. Hehehe, how evil.

Some canon events have been moved around at this point. In fact, I think you'll remember the conversation with Suna back in chapter 474, way before where we currently are in the timeline. I really wanted to incorporate this part, but at the time I wanted to focus more on the political scheme of things. Now it's time for the social. 8D ß that's a smiling face, by the way.

xXx

It wasn't the bone mask, or the sickening growls and screeching that bothered Sakura. She could live past seeing that sight –providing she stopped wondering where the bone came from, that is- since there were far worse things to lay her eyes on; a fat hairy man taking a bath, or flaming meteors landing on a litter of kittens were some of those things. So no, it was not the mask or the sounds that would give her nightmares.

It was the yellow eyes that would keep her up at night. She'd seen them, survived them even, and somehow they would haunt her for the rest of her life.

She simply could not imagine, for the life of her, how the daunting creature she'd seen and Ichigo correlate. One was cruel and cold, while the other warmed her heart. Yet, there was always the possibility she could have misjudged Ichigo. What if a part of him really was like the creature he'd been "possessed" by? The thought sent chills through her body.

When she looked to the unconscious Ichigo lying on the clay floor, all she could see were the bloodthirsty yellow eyes. Her imagine of Ichigo was tainted by what she'd witnessed, and she was unsure if it could ever be reversed. If it could the amount of effort it would take was beyond her. Her thoughts made healing him strenuous, and her concentration was shaky at best. The events from earlier still had her shaken up pretty good.

It was one thing to fight a hoard of raving wolves, but it was another to walk in on your best friend being attacked by the boy you thought you had feelings for, but frighteningly deformed. She understood perfectly well that Naruto and Ichigo didn't get along, but she had seriously considered Ichigo would have, no matter what, respected her wishes and pulled back. If the Ichigo she knew was in there, he would've fought the monster inside. Not only that, but Ichigo had deceived her. He wasn't supposed to be on the mission. He was supposed to be at Konoha, training in his human body!

Though in light of new events, his punishment wouldn't be so severe. In fact, there wouldn't be a punishment at all. He helped rescue Team Asuma and Hinata, even if he did it in the form of a deranged monster… Sakura needed to get her thoughts straight again before she attempted to talk to Ichigo. She didn't want to remember the beast that had replaced him, and in order to eradicate the picture from her memory she would need time.

Thus after healing Ichigo she went straight to tending to Kyomu's wounds in order to take the man back to Konoha as a prisoner. She left Naruto and Chouji to carry Ichigo until he woke, while she and Shikamaru carried Kyomu like a captive with his hands behind his back. She made sure to walk ahead of the others, that way she wouldn't accidentally look at Ichigo and be reminded of what transpired.

Unfortunately, while she was so uninterested in Ichigo's personal affairs at the moment, the others felt quite the opposite. The moment he woke up he was pestered with light conversations and hidden questions about what Kyomu meant by shinigami and why he was so interested in them. Not even half-way there; Sakura was forced to listen to the questions first hand. Luckily Ichigo was bright enough to come up with some vague answers that kept the vultures at bay.

The party took a break under a long canopy of forest trees. Sakura and Shikamaru put the weakened Kyomu against a tree and secured him with Shikamaru's shadow jutsu as he kept watch. Oddly enough, Kyomu was rather calm and polite ever since they left the compound after healing him…it was uncanny.

Before she could ask too many questions, she spotted Ichigo approach from the distance and quickly occupied herself with Ino's company. The blond female rose her eyebrows at the sudden conversation, peering behind Sakura's shoulder at a very confused Ichigo. Not knowing all of the details, Ino automatically assumed it was a lover's quarrel. But with Sakura's menacing glare, she said nothing and nervously pulled at her collar.

Sakura listened closely as Ichigo's footsteps went the other direction, towards a certain loud-mouth Naruto currently enjoyed a good laugh with Kiba. She had an eerie feeling things wouldn't go very smoothly.

xXx

Ichigo, in and out of consciousness, only saw Sakura once. The rest of the times he opened his eyes someone else had been standing over him. Heck, even Naruto took that role a few times before Ichigo finally made it back to full consciousness. They were already walking away from the compound when he rudely awoke with a shudder, falling out of the arms of Chouji and Naruto. He hit the ground, unearthing bits of dust around him.

Ichigo's big secrets were out. Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji all could safely assume he was a shinigami based on the events in the compound. They were skeptical, unsure. That secret was one Ichigo didn't care for. Hell, the fact they knew would make his life easier. It was the _second_secret he worried about. The one Sakura and Naruto were never supposed to uncover. At that thought, Ichigo sighed bitterly. Things were complicated…fixing it would be even more complex. Ichigo was at a loss to decipher just how Sakura felt, and even Naruto's perception was a bit fuzzy. Ichigo, desperate to find closure, repeatedly tried to bring Sakura into the conversation, but she never responded.

Ino was quite the talker, though. At the beginning of their travels she relentlessly flirted. It seemed Ichigo was more of a hero now than ever. He wanted to tell her that he did nothing, that in the end he was too confident in his abilities and they had failed him. The true heros was Naruto and Sakura. Now if only he could find a way to tell her that…

The group stopped for a break, and Ichigo made his intentions clear in approaching Sakura. She barely looked at him before scampering away, to Ino of all people. Dejected, Ichigo retreated to the opposite side. Well, fine, if Sakura didn't want to talk to him then he'd find someone who did.

He took a seat on a fallen tree next to Naruto and Kiba. The two males looked to him quizzically. Naruto, apparently at ease now, scratched the back of his head. He winced, as he had lifted the same arm Akamaru had bitten. It was healing, but the skin around the scar still felt raw. Nonetheless, he continued. "Eh, sorry I stabbed you, Ichigo." He mumbled apologetically. "But you know, you were kind of asking for it." Something deep twinkled in his eye that told Ichigo it was more than that. He didn't blame Naruto, though. If the positions were switched, he would've done the same thing.

At this point Kiba got up and strode away, the ever-so loyal Akamaru following at his side. Ichigo shook the apology off. "No, it's okay. I would do the same thing." He responded, in all seriousness. Naruto had the right to stab him. Not to mention he was perfectly fine and healthy. Fortunately the injury came during the latter half of his hollow state, and most of it had been instantly regenerated before the Hollow went into submission.

There was an awkward silence in which Ichigo rubbed his aching wound and Naruto shuffled his feet. Both boys weren't too sure where to go with the conversation. The tension they had previously, rolled off the moment Naruto saw Ichigo's "dark side", and it was all without their knowing. Ichigo hadn't quite realized it, but the two were more in common than they'd like to think. It was Naruto who was the first that began to dwell on this.

Naruto, treading thin ice, slid down the trunk and arched his back over it so he was lying on the wood. "Listen, Ichigo," he began nonchalantly, "I get why you never told us about that thing. Trust me, it makes sense."

The shinigami's upper lip twitched as he bit back a few unkind words. "You don't know what you're talking about," he finally said, eyes averted.

"See, that's where you're wrong." Naruto barked back. The two had yet to make eye-contact, so to an observer it would appear the two were talking to an invisible wall. "I know what's it's like to fight something like that. Something full of hatred and destruction. It whispers at me sometimes…and before I knew better I let it take control…

"But you can't let it take control like that." Naruto began again after a pause. Now he decided to raise his eyes to Ichigo, who was unnervingly blank. "We can't rely on these powers. I learned that the hard way… Did you know I hurt Sakura once, with the power?" The latter part was spoken in a quite whisper.

At the mention of her name Ichigo flickered into life, head snapping to look at Naruto curiously. The blonde nodded. "Yup. True story. I was told by a wise man then that if I continued to use that dark power, I'd only hurt her more."

Ichigo's eyes briefly turned in Sakura's direction. She had her back to him. Carefully, he turned his attention back to a certain blonde-haired Jinchuriki. "So, uh, what happened?" His voice was hushed.

The teen shrugged. "It just took control," Naruto responded, "and I didn't realize what I was doing. I was filled with the desire to destroy…and I did."

Oh, how Naruto remembered the day. Sai had been new to the team, and Yamato was there to oversee them as they met Orochimaru undercover on a bridge. That foul man had said one thing or another about Sasuke…and Naruto, as usual, got pissed. It was explosives first, logical thinking later in his mind. He'd let the Kyuubi loose, and when Sakura tried to stop him he'd violently swatted her away like a bug. _That_he remembered perfectly well, and regretted. Even the stone-cold surprise and disappointment on her face couldn't change him back. In the end, it was up to Yamato to suppress the beast.

Suddenly Naruto perked up, getting up from his sloth-like position on the tree. "But this doesn't change anything." He spoke up, eyes narrowed. "We may both have some crazy demon inside of them, but that doesn't mean we're friends."

"Right," Ichigo agreed. "Not friends. Allies." He held his hand out for a shake, which Naruto enthusiastically shook. During the shake, both pairs of eyes wandered over to a certain pinkette currently arguing with Ino.

Ah, nothing like a little friendly competition.

The boys separated, and within moments the group was on the move again. For a second time Ichigo attempted to corner Sakura, but she dodged and evaded. Ichigo sighed. Maybe it was better this way? He preferred to save such a private conversation for somewhere a little less…_open_. For the time being he was content with waiting, but bent on eventually forcing her to talk to him.

The team made their way back to Konoha shortly. As it turned out the compound was just on the outskirts of the Land of Fire, which made the trip home relatively short. Within half-a-days time they arrived at the Konoha gates. Upon closer inspection, three strangers could be seen. Ichigo was specifically disturbed, as one of the strangers had long, flaming red hair.

The Suna nin and Renji were back.

xXx

The veteran shinigami stood alone in the large, dome office of the Kazekage. He mindlessly sauntered by the windows, looking at the sandy, bland village. He was becoming tireless in Suna. So much sand, most of which was lodging itself in places he didn't even know was possible. Not only that, but Renji missed the companionship of shinigami in general…

Sure, these shinobi were great people. Gaara was reasonable, Temari was comfortably social, and Kankuro was humorous. For a while they had entertained Renji enough, but now he began to feel lonely. He couldn't talk about the same things with these people, and he wouldn't dare try to explain to them the complexities of Seireitei just for that reason. The redhead ran a heavy hand over his face exhaustingly.

The door opened with a heavy creak behind him, and he turned to watch Gaara singularly strut in and take his seat at his desk. The doors behind him were closed by other shinobi, who waited on the other side. As usual, Gaara wasn't very good at expressing his feelings; thus, Renji was clueless as to what had happened. All he knew was that Gaara had finally returned from a classified meeting with village officials, assumingly it was about shinigami. As usual, the male sat at his desk, a blank slate

Renji swiveled his chair to face the Kazekage, eventually picking it up by the bottom and dragging it in front of Gaara. Renji cleared his throat. "…so?" He inquired, eyebrows raised.

Gaara, leisurely leaning back in his chair, frowned. "It's hard to explain…" He began quietly, scratching his chin. "It seems nobody knows what to do with you. We've never really had a shinigami here, you see."

Smirking proudly, Renji responded. "Well, now you do. So what's the plan?"

For one rare chance in his life, Gaara merely shrugged. "I haven't decided yet." In truth, he was thinking of having Renji do exactly what the shinigami in Konoha were doing; nothing. As far as he knew, the shinigami in Konoha had no real job, and hadn't gone on any large missions there. It seemed like a safe bet, considering they didn't know much about shinigami in the first place. On that note, he quickly inquired about the others.

"You mean Rukia and Ichigo?" A brisk nod told him to continue. "Well, we're not much different. Aside from Ichigo being a little snot, that is." The man grinned memorably as he played around with the various papers on Gaara's desk. "Rukia is really intelligent. Best of our class. But us shinigami, we pretty much do the same thing." Nonchalantly the man nodded his head.

"What would that be?" Gaara asked, folding his hands in his lap.

"Well," Renji stated, "hunt hollows. That's the job of a shinigami, you know. All we do is send lost souls to Seireitei, or as you know the after life."

Thus began Suna's very limited understanding of shinigami. The information Renji had to offer was useful when it came to decided what to have Renji do. In the end, Gaara's curiosity convinced him to let Renji stay with him as a sort of guard, aside from the usual Temari and Kankuro.

However, there was still business to be done in Konoha. Gaara reflected upon the Summit disaster and Sasuke in particular. He felt obligated, as a friend, to warn Naruto of this new Sasuke before the blonde got too involved. When called upon, his siblings agreed. It had to be done. Besides, going to Konoha for this would give him an excuse to further educate himself on shinigami. Suna didn't like to be one of the last nations to learn information.

The group set out after a few hours of Gaara's thoughts. He put the council in charge, packed the necessities, and gathered his team of Temari, Kankuro, and Renji. Quickly the four descended the Kazekage's dome and exited the village. Passersby stopped to bow or wish them safe travels. Gaara barely responded, giving only a head nod; he left the socializing up to the very adept Temari.

When they finally arrived at Konoha, it seemed Naruto was already out on a mission. The Suna nin were left to wait by the gates, on the assumption that soon enough Naruto and his team would arrive. The group was just about to give up on their patience when they finally saw a group emerging from over the hill. Naruto and the team of Konoha nin had finally arrived…but with a criminal… Renji narrowed his eyes.

He specifically picked up on Ichigo, way in the back. (His hair was hard to miss.) The teen looked beaten, as did they rest of them now that Renji noticed. They all had cuts, and bruises, some of the nastiest on Naruto and Kiba. The whole group looked downtrodden, and a part of each and every one of their bodies was wrapped up in gauze. So it was recent…

As soon as Ichigo noticed Renji, the teen sped up. Upon approach the two shinigami patted each other on the back. Renji purposefully slapped his hand down on Ichigo's numerous back injuries, causing the substitute shinigami to wince.

"Thanks…for that." The teen mumbled, rubbing his back exasperatedly.

Renji grinned. "No problem." He took a step back to allow Ichigo some space. "So what kind of mission was this?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Rescue mission."

"What'd you do, rescue a family of bears?" Renji mocked, his eyes soaking in the current state of his friend.

Just then a pink-haired female flew past, her head down and away from Ichigo. Renji, perplexed, asked, "Why's your lady upset, Ichigo?" Renji had seen Sakura before, and any fool could tell there was something between her and Ichigo. But for those lingering looks to suddenly become a look of confusion and anger, and _not_attraction just felt unnatural.

Ichigo's eyebrow twitched and he rolled his sleeve up. "What?"

The redhead waved his hands in front of him dismissively. "Eh, never mind. I can tell your relationship is kind of on the rocks, huh?"

Shaking off the comment, Ichigo gestured to the meeting currently taking place with Gaara, Naruto, and the others. "So why are you four here?"

"You know. Diplomatic business…or something." Renji mumbled. "I haven't really been told everything, but apparently Sleepy Eyes has an important message for Mr. Whiskers over there."

The nicknames were humorous, and Ichigo was reminded of his life at home, where humor like that was so very prevalent in his civilian friends. Their conversation was thrown off when Hinata and Team Asuma approached, apparently not involved in the private conversation between the Kazekage and his energetic friend. They were happy to meet and greet Renji, who some of them had previously seen when he tackled Ichigo.

Occasionally Ichigo would look in Sakura's direction, and Renji was quick to pick up on it. Something had been left unsolved, and Ichigo was apparently eager to fix it. Even the entrance of a happy Rukia (who squeezed both Renji and Ichigo half-to-death) could not steer his mind away.

As expected, Ichigo quickly asked to be excused and bounded over to Sakura, leaving Renji all alone with his new village friends. The redhead smirked and pretended not to notice Ichigo's eagerness over this one particular female.

xXx

After briefly saying hello to Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, Sakura strode over to the small outpost near the gates. A Chunin stood under the makeshift roof, papers strewn before him on a desk. Sakura approached, giving a brief and polite smile before leaning on the edge of the table.

Kotetsu was an irresponsible shinobi, thus he'd been placed to check in shinobi that left and entered the village that fine day. Sakura looked at his spiky, unkempt black hair and the usual wrapping around his face (from one cheekbone, over the bridge of his nose, to the other cheekbone) as a sign that he was still slacking off at his duties. She sighed to inform him of her presence, which he quickly picked up on nevertheless. Even when focusing away from Sakura, it was hard not to notice her own head of bright hair.

The man looked up from his work and smirked. "Ah. The rescue team is back." He commented, slapping his hands down on the desk. His eyes raked over Sakura's disheveled appearance, and then to the equally dirtied appearances of her team. "Didn't go too well?" Before she could answer, Kotetsu's eyes had wandered over to Shikamaru and their prisoner. His expression visibly darkened. "Don't tell me that's the guy…?"

Sakura offered a brief nod. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Was he strong?" Kotetsu blurted out, sizing up Kyomu. To him, a man so painfully awkward couldn't pose a threat.

Without him noticing, Sakura's eye had a miniscule spasm. "No, I wasn't there when it all went down. Naruto and Ichigo fought him, and when I arrived…" Her voice drifted to incoherent levels, where her mind was disturbed by the memory of just what she had walked in on. Quickly, Sakura caught herself and shook it off. It would be a while before she could refer to that moment without shivering.

Kotetsu smirked, vaguely doing his job by writing something down. From Sakura's stand-point, it almost looked like a one-sided game of Tic-Tac-Toe… "Defeated by Naruto of all people," Kotetsu playfully joked, looking at Kyomu from the corner of his eyes. "He's probably not very happy about it, that sad bastard."

Sakura raised her eyebrows. She would say the opposite. In fact, ever since his falling point (Kyomu being impaled by his own table) Kyomu had been a sort of happy person. He was reasonable on the trip to Konoha, and didn't show anything but the highest respect of his captors; not to mention he was an amazing listener. "Actually, he's been really great …" Sakura mumbled, earning Kotetsu's confused glare.

"That's a little weird," Kotetsu brutally pointed out. His eyes flickered back over to the group at the gates, focusing more on a certain orange-haired teen that was currently walking their way. "Well, I guess I'll just have to ask Mr. Brooding what happened."

"Huh?" Sakura responded, turning to Kotetsu's focus. She frowned upon seeing Ichigo, and immediately turned back. 'Brooding' was an understatement. He was obviously distraught, and not to mention focused. The female gulped, quickly taking her first steps out of the danger zone. "Fine. Cool. See ya."

It was too late; by the time Sakura had attempted to make her escape Ichigo had descended upon her like a heavy weight. She stopped as to not be rude when he came to the two of them and asked, "can I talk to you privately?"

The roseate nodded glumly, allowing Ichigo to lead her away from Kotetsu by the arm. Ichigo offered a fleeting nod at the man, who simply shrugged and went back to his "work". Sakura could only frown at how helpful Kotetsu was. He could have at least given her an excuse as to not be taken away by Ichigo.

The two found a nice quiet spot well off from the group. It was a stone alley between two recently reconstructed houses, but was surprisingly well lit and sanitary. Unknowingly Ichigo stood in the way of Sakura's only exit.

The two stood awkwardly in the other's company. Sakura was tempted to bite her lips nervously, as Ichigo was to tap his foot against the ground. It was hard to believe how drastically things between them had changed. Only days ago they had been on their first date, a pleasant occasion when random women weren't beating on Ichigo. He remembered that date clearly as joyous and intimate, as did Sakura. Things, however, had somewhat changed. That was during a time before Ichigo's "secret" had been revealed.

Sakura, who may have been fairly disturbed by the Hollowfication, felt more betrayed. Now that she had the time to cool down, and rise over the initial shock, she felt as if he had went over her head. Not once did he suggest he had something so big and dangerous hiding inside of him. This big secret of his had failed to be shared, and irritated her. She thought that after how close they seemed to be growing he would have had the decency to mention it. Rather, he kept it quiet and allowed it to blow up in his face, as Sakura intended to do now.

Now becoming more of a habit, she viciously jabbed at Ichigo's chest, causing the male to take a step or two back. "Why didn't you tell me?" She barked her voice at a mercilessly high decibel.

The shinigami exhaled, astounded. "Tell you about what? How could I possibly have told you about it?" Her general anger with him was contagious. "In case you haven't really noticed, becoming a bloodthirsty beast isn't exactly something I can just randomly say!"

"Sure it is!" Sakura rebounded, gesturing wildly at the air around her. "When we first met it would've been helpful if you at least said '_Hey__, __but__I__might__become__a__raging__beast__without__warning__._'"

"How in the hell could I have said that without you taking it as a joke?" Ichigo responded, fuming. "You would've thought it was funny and laughed in my face."

"It may have seemed like a joke, but at least it would've been a warning!" She stressed the word 'warning', the word ending with her voice strained.

A vein popped in Ichigo's head. "I never wanted this to happen! This was the last thing I ever thought _could_happen!" He ran a hand over his face exasperatedly. "I knew the moment you found out you would be anything but calm."

"Oh ho ho," Sakura sassily responded. She shook her head. "You don't get to know how I would react. Of course I'm angry now; you lied to me by not telling! I would have appreciated a warni-"

"Why? So you could just hold me at a distance like you are now?" Ichigo blasted.

It was true, after the initial impact of her finger to his chest, she had strayed further away. With each word spoken, Sakura had slowly gravitated to the wall, making the space between them larger. She didn't seem to notice until Ichigo had finally said something. With the realization, her anger faded and was replaced by the realization.

Sakura was eager to make this quick; she needed time to consider what had happened. Calmingly, she took a breath in. "Listen, Ichigo. I'm not sure what I saw…and I'm not sure what that means for us yet. So until I do…"

"You want me to stay somewhere else, don't you?" Ichigo interjected.

She grimaced. "Yes."

"And you want me to give you some space and time, right?" He asked again, fully knowing what her answer would be, and how horrible it would make him feel.

Again she frowned. "Yes." The whole mission had thrown her life a curveball, and until she hit it, she didn't know what to tell Ichigo. Except for that she needed her space. As typical of the female persona as it was, it was true. In fact, judging from their brief little "disagreement", it was apparent to her that they both needed the time equally.

"So I guess I'll be seeing you around, then?" Ichigo asked, masking his feelings with a glazed-over look. Sakura nodded to him, and weakly attempted to give him a hug but paused mid-way. Her hands rerouted to his, and rather than a hug he got a weak handshake.

"Yeah," she mumbled, quickly retreating. Sakura snuck past Ichigo and exited the alley without looking back.

xXx

Naruto was always happy to see his allies from Suna. Despite his various injuries, and the fact his whole torso and shoulder were covered in bandages, he was still in a chipper mood. When he arrived at home Gaara and his entourage were awaiting his arrival.It was quite a sight to see, how easily Naruto's face brightened and how much faster his pace became, despite the pained limp he had picked up.

"Hey! Gaara, Temari, Kankuro!" Naruto called, waving and walking ahead of his group. At that moment Renji had detached himself to speak privately to Ichigo. For a brief second Naruto wondered if Renji possessed the same inner demon like Ichigo, and if that was the norm for all shinigami. Even so, that was just a meager thought in the grand scheme of things. The Village Hero was more focused on his Suna allies.

"Shouldn't you be at the hospital?" Kankuro asked first, taking notice of the wraps around Naruto's body.

Naruto waved off the suggestion. "No, I'm okay." He responded, by waving his arms and torso around dramatically, and without wincing. It was true, he felt fine. Nothing hurt, and the injuries were all gone; save for a few scars here and there. He didn't even need the wraps on anymore, and on that note he began to pull them from his arm and torso.

"Jinchuriki heal fast." Gaara generally stated monochromatically, (it was a known fact that the Kyuubi, especially, had nearly instant regeneration) quickly changing the direction of the conversation when he stated, "But we're not here to share battle stories. We're here to talk about the Summit."

Naruto's face quickly fell, his upturned smile turning to point south; by "Summit" Gaara quite simply meant "Sasuke". Naruto had come to terms with things, yes, but he was in no way prepared to start talking about it. Especially not when he'd just come back from a traumatic rescue mission. Lightly, Naruto mumbled, "Sure…"

"Naruto, this upcoming war will be one to protect the Hachibi and the Kyubi, in other words, you." Gaara bluntly said with his expression stoic.

Naruto's reaction was anything but solid. He was lividly disturbed with that statement. The last thing he wanted was to be protected. He preferred to be the one who did the protect_ing_. Things didn't feel right if he was suddenly an asset and not a soldier; a precious safe and not the bank that surrounded it. Naruto, the Village Hero, was going to be fought over and safeguarded in a war? Even the words, which he repeated in his head, didn't feel right. They left a sour taste in his mouth.

Gaara paid no mention to the disturbance in Naruto's countenance. "For the sake of the ninja world and as the Kazekage, I will protect you with my life." He said his voice deepening as he continued, "If as a member of the Akatsuki, Uchiha Sasuke stands in the way of the Ninja Coalition, I will show no mercy."

Ah, as expected it came to Sasuke again. Naruto's eyes avoided Gaara and were downcast. He had no response, at least none that was verbal. His body language perfectly portrayed that of a betrayed brother.

The Kazekage paused. Unbeknownst to his party, his jaw was clenched tightly from the "livid" topic. He wasn't getting much of a response out of Naruto, as expected. It seemed an appropriate time to lay down what he had learned from his confrontation with the Uchiha at the Summit. "Sasuke doesn't even see you. He longs only for his own darkness." Gaara informed.

It was instant. Naruto's eyes snapped open and they shot to Gaara and his silent company. He still couldn't bring himself to believe that. Yes, he was aware that denial could only get him so far. Until he saw this for himself, however, he would choose to believe there was still a part of Sasuke that cared.

"Naruto, you once told me you would become Hokage." Gaara relayed, Naruto's face falling yet again to a pit of self-pity. "I have become the Kazekage. If you are prepared to bear the title of Kage, then do what you must," Gaara stepped forward to lay a gentle hand on Naruto's shoulder, "as Sasuke's friend."

With his own hand raised, Naruto apprehensively responded to Gaara. Yet he couldn't bring himself to pat the teen on his shoulder. The news was too grim, too unbelievable. He could not reciprocate Gaara's comforting hand. Rather, his hand retreated to the area before his chest, fingers curled in.

Gaara took his own hand away as Temari began to speak, visibly gesturing to the road ahead. "Come on, we've said everything we came to say." At this point Renji had returned to the Suna nin after detangling his arms from Ino's social clutches.

Indeed, they had said everything. After Kankuro, Temari, and Renji, Gaara began to back away from Naruto and Konoha. He stopped, his back facing the ally when he was still in earshot.

"I used to think "friend" was just another word, but when I met you I realized what was important to the word's meaning." Eerily, the teen half-turned to look back at Naruto. His insomnia-stricken eyes were deep. "Think about its meaning, and what you're trying to do for Sasuke."

Without adieu, the Suna group was off. Naruto found himself standing alone on the path to Konoha, his friends (and Shikamaru with Kyomu) had all retreated into the village. Some of them had probably gone to the hospital to be checked, while he suspected Shikamaru had the incapacitated Kyomu taken to the Hokage for interrogation.

Just then a familiar presence snuck up on him. Ichigo took a place to Naruto's right. The teen gazed out to the horizon, like Naruto did, at where the Suna nin had departed. They both had just given inadequate goodbyes to their friends and allies, and were equally faced with their own personal problems.

"I think Sakura…dumped me." Ichigo mumbled, not to say they were already dating.

Pleased, but not satisfied, Naruto answered. "Good."

"She's avoiding me."

"Even better." There was a trace of a smile.

"She has Kon, and all my civilian clothes." By now Ichigo thought he had figured out how to cheer Naruto up.

Naruto happily 'huffed'. "Sucks to be you."

xXx

( Konoha: Location Unknown )

It was dark, and cold. Kyomu quietly sat on a steel fold-out chair, with his hands and legs restrained against the shiver-inducing surface. He consistently glanced around the hard planes of the walls and floors. This was new to him. He may have been comfortable with underground caves, but this was nothing like his base. It was cold, and empty. Whereas his base had been warm and filled with "life".

Kyomu had yet to acknowledge what he had done was wrong. In fact, there was a part to him that would never fully accept the thought. However, he was slowly coming to terms. That damn ring was so possessive…so blinding… His finger now free, he felt like he could see again. He was reborn, but with a cost. With this new rebirth came the revelations of what he had done, and why he had done it…

Though the details behind his actions were fuzzy and he had no way to fix it. Certain parts of his memory were clouded with uncertainty and some filmy substance that, when he tried to think back, all he saw were colors immersed in a fog. He was blinded by something.

There was a pattering noise outside the heavy metal door that led out of his current detainment room. Kyomu tensed, eyes widened. He struggled in his chair, attempting to scoot back; very simply put, he did not like the sound of those booming footsteps approaching his door, getting closer and closer until they fizzled out completely at the door. Kyomu felt uncomfortable, his eyes gazing straight ahead at the door that hadn't opened yet…but he knew there was somebody behind it. What were they waiting for?

Finally, the door was pushed open. A faint light from beyond illuminated the walls of the rooming, allowing Kyomu just a little more light to see with. A woman followed the light inside, and was flanked by two others wearing animal masks and hoods. Kyomu felt his blood run cold when he saw the tanto attached to their belts, with their hands lingering over them.

The woman attracted his attention first when she slammed her hands down on the steel desk before him. She slapped a file down on the surface, the lack of light in the room giving her face a dark, eerie shadow. From what Kyomu could tell, she was blond, and busty. None of those details, however, seemed important compared to the large dent her hands left on the table. **(Why exactly would Tsunade be doing the Interrogation**** instead of Ibiki?)**

The woman craned her neck to finally look away from the files and to Kyomu's face. She was a pretty woman, sure, but her face was contorted with anger and disgust. She directed all her distasteful emotions to Kyomu in one single look. He visibly shuddered.

"Senju, Tsunade. Hokage." She mumbled briefly, grinding her teeth together. With the look she was giving him, he expected to be chewed up and then spit out. Slowly, the Hokage sat down at a chair opposite Kyomu, her fingers twined together thoughtfully in front of her face. "Who are you?" She inquired, one masked ally behind her preparing a notepad for answers.

Tsunade didn't particularly like being there. Kyomu's name alone gave some shinobi the shivers. It wasn't because of Kyomu himself, but because of what they assumed to be his old master. It came naturally to think that if Orochimaru once had that base, and Kyomu had it now, the two must be related somehow. Orochimaru, being Tsunade's old teammate, is the only thing that brought Tsunade into this. Although Ibiki was probably better suited for the role, she took the reigns and would ignore the consequences. It was likely village officials wouldn't like what she was doing.

"Uh…" Their captive answered. "Yamada, Kyomu."

"Where are you from, Kyomu?"

"Himitsu village, on the border of the Land of Fire." He gruffly answered.

Tsunade shook her head. "There's no '_Himitsu__Village_' on the map. You're lying." The two masked ANBU behind her stiffened, their hands poised directly on the handle of their tanto. No doubt they were preparing for a quick execution; Kyomu gulped.

"No, there is, I swear! But it was destroyed!" He responded, his hands straining against their bindings. He still didn't have much control when he mentioned Himitsu, after all those years.

"Then why isn't it on the map?" She continued on, leaning forward stiffly.

"Because it's hidden with Genjutsu. It has been for years."

Tsunade never ceased with the questions. "And who did that?"

He bit his lip. "My father, and then me. He was only protecting the village from outsiders." Kyomu quickly added the last part.

Raising her eyebrow, she asked, "But what about you? Why did you hide it?"

The truth was going to spill out, and Kyomu felt his heart pace faster as he came to his own frightening realization. "Because it was going to be my master's new base…" He coughed on his sudden uncertainty, eyes threatening to water. He didn't like what he was seeing in his head, the things that had been blurred out were returning. "He needed a base that nobody would find…and I didn't want…"

The intensity of the room rose to new levels, "Who was your master, Kyomu?" She barked, opening the file and pushing photos forward. The photos weren't really photos but masterfully created pictures done by Sai under the direction of Shikamaru and Chouji. She pushed them forwards, letting the corpses and the destruction sink in. "And did he do this? Did he brutally mutilate and experiment on these corpses?"

Kyomu shook his head, arms convulsing heavily now. His foot shook nervously. "No, Orochimaru didn't…didn't do that." He stuttered, his chest feeling heavy. By now his eyes were brimming. All his history in that village, it hurt when he thought about it…

"Who did?"

Whimpering, Kyomu turned his head away from the pictures. The faces were too familiar… He managed to mumble, "I did." His voice was so quiet, only he could hear it.

Tsunade's voice became louder. "Who did this, Kyomu?_"_

The male took a shaky breath in. He didn't want to say it again, it was too shameful.

Angrily, Tsunade swept the photos off the desk with her arm, her face coming in closer. "I'm going to ask you again," she said, "Who did these horrible things to these people?"

A tear broke loose and rolled down his cheek. "_I__did__it__!_" He barked back, his head snapping to face the Hokage. "I did that to them! I took the survivors of the village and did what had to be done. For the sake of science."

Tsunade froze, her mouth limply hung open. She couldn't put her finger on Kyomu. But what from she could tell from his writhing form, he was unstable. Most of all, however, it was one part of his confession that made his insanity all the more clear. Not the sake of science, no, but the very beginning.

"…Survivors?" Tsunade questioned.

The man shuddered, hanging his head low to stare blankly at his knees. "Yes, survivors. The village was destroyed."

The Hokage, esteemed for her endless strength and short fuse of a temper, sat back in her chair unexpectedly calm. She crossed her arms. "Did you destroy your village?"

Glumly, Kyomu nodded. "I burned most of it to the ground, buried the dead under the ashes. And then I went back for them when I ran out of…of victims." His hands became fists, straining against their bindings so that his skin became white.

Tsunade nodded in response, and quietly spoke to her subordinates behind her. She waved them off, watching as the two left the room. Kyomu wasn't a threat to her now. Not in his state. His state of confusion would be a good opportunity to get answers out of him, but not with two eerie henchmen in the room.

"Tell me your story," Tsunade said as the other two left the room. "From beginning to end."

Slowly, Kyomu looked up to the woman, distraught. "Well…" He closed his eyes momentarily, taking a deep breath in. "I guess it started when my mother died." From therein he delicately described everything, all the while avoiding making eye contact with Tsunade. He didn't deserve her mercy.

Kyomu wished that Ichigo would have killed him, rather than face the atrocities of his life.

xXx

**A****/****N****: **There you have it. The lead-up to Kyomu's origin chapter. Sorry for the lateness. I originally wanted to post this on the 18th, my birthday, as a gift to you all. But life kind of gets in the way of my writing sometimes.

I'm feeling a little better now, than I was when I wrote this. So don't worry about me~ And if you do worry, worry about poor Kyomu. He has a long road ahead of him… (And no, this means I will not be killing him off like I originally thought.) As of this moment, Kyomu has become one of the lead characters (behind all the main canons, of course).

~ Dahlia


	26. Origin of the Oblivion Seal Part 1

**Disclaimer****: **I do not own Naruto or Bleach. But I do own a whole bucket of funny…Well don't look at me like that, I didn't say the jokes would be _good_.

**A****/****N****: **I decided to write the Origins chapter of Kyomu. (Sort of like how they did the Origins for Wolverine in X-men.) I hope it turns out well! Also, still no internet, but I think I might know where my flashdrive is.

xXx

_Extenuating __Circumstances __Special__: part One_

**Chapter****24****: ****Origins ****of ****the ****Oblivion ****Seal**

"Mama, tell me the story again!" A small child pleaded, sitting on the lap of his mother.

She was a kindred soul, with a heart-shaped face and rosy cheeks. The woman smiled at her child, arms wrapped around him to hold him close to her heart. "You don't want to hear that story again, do you?" She asked him, lolling their bodies side to side on the porch steps. She rested her head atop his.

The boy laughed. "I do too!" He squirmed in her arms excitedly.

Sighing, the woman's shoulder fell. "Alright…which story would that be?" She asked her son as he looked up into her eyes. She ran her hand down the side of his face lovingly, admiring how pure his smile was.

He thought about it for a moment, the grin growing bigger as he thought of the story he wanted to hear. "Tell me the story of the Little Lost boy, Mama!"

The woman nodded. "Well, once there was a boy, about your age, who lived in a small village unknown to the world." She smirked at the familiarity of the story. "He belonged to a special family, a special shinobi family. They called themselves Illusionists, but firmly believed in keeping their special powers secret." The woman silently laughed at the sheer similarity of the story to their own life.

"One day, after his beautifulmother fixed him a steaming home-cooked meal, the boy went out to play with his friends. Him, his two brothers, and the other village boys, jumped and jumped until their little feet became sore. Before collapsing in the soft grass, laughing and smiling." She stroked her child's shoulder, letting him relax in her arms as he intently focused on her story. She started again, "The children were so tired from their playing that they drifted into a gentle sleep."

"When the boy finally woke he was all alone, his friends long gone for they were each off to eat supper with their families. He yawned and stretched his arms all the way to the sky," she mimicked the actions herself, "before standing and walking back towards the village. The boy was all alone, and he felt so sad and lonely that not even the prettiest butterfly could cheer him up. Soon he was lost in the grassy hilltops, and he feared he would never find his way home." She frowned and shook her head, her son doing the same thing. This part of the story always had the same effect on them.

Then, however, a big smile grew on the woman's face. "Luckily for the boy, there was a girl about the same age as him also in the forest. She was a very smart girl, way ahead of her friends. She looked at the sad little boy, and asked '_Are__you__lost__, __little__boy__?_' The boy nodded his head, his eyes watering. The girl was more than just a girl, it seemed. She was also a part of the village and knowledgeable about the family. She held his hand and walked him back to the village, stopping right in front of his house. His loving mama, who had been worried sick about him ever since the other boys came home without him, ran up and scooped him up into her arms, never to let him go again. When she looked back to the girl, the girl was gone.

"Mama knew that girl was her son's guardian angel, she had never seen that girl in her life and knew of the legends about young maidens helping little lost boys find their way home. Because that girl chose to help her boy, mama knew her son was destined for great things." The woman smiled and tickled her son's stomach. He howled with laughter as he fought.

The laughter subsided; the boy crawled off her lap. "Can I go play with the neighbors?" He asked.

She nodded. As he walked off to meet the other children, she quickly called out, "Kyomu!" The boy swiveled around to face her, a pleasant smile on his face. "Don't get lost like the Little Lost Boy, you hear me?"

Young Kyomu of the Himitsu village giggled and nodded before trotting off. Little did his mother know that her young son repeatedly tried to become lost in the forest, hoping that one day he could meet the legendary spirit guide.

xXx

With the years gone by the same little boy who was eager to meet the object of an old wise tale grew into a hearty young man. He took mostly after his gentle mother in every way, which in certain cases was disheartening for his rough father. Kyomu was a naturally weak spirit, incapable of growing the same manly muscles his friends had, and unable to woo the village beauty, Kotone. Yet he had a kind spirit and a soft demeanor, unknowingly making him a far better man than his friends, or his controlling father.

Dressed in his practice uniform, sixteen-year old Kyomu stood in a defensive stance. Hands balled into fists and held at his front for protection, he bounced off the balls of his feet. Perspiration broke free on his skin as he looked towards his temporary enemy: his father. While Kyomu looked worn and beaten, his father, Yonju Yamada, hadn't even broken a sweat.

"You can do better than that, boy! Come at me!" He urged, motioning his son forward with his fists.

Kyomu wiped the trace amount of blood off his lip before roaring and coming at his father. He threw his fist forward, confident that this try would be the one. He would finally hit his father. Huffing and puffing, his fist flew through the air and towards his adversary's abdomen. Unfortunately, it was not to be. His father grabbed at his wrist easily and twisted it until his son fell to his knees at his feet.

"_That's_what you call better?" He twisted harder until his son shook with pain. Defeated, he threw the injured wrist to the ground with his failure for a son. Kneeling down, Yonju whispered into his ear, "This was not what you were born for. Your ancestors would be ashamed."

Kyomu listened to his father's retreating footsteps, and the harsh closing of the screen door. His arm stung, bruises all over not only his wrist but the other limbs of his body, he curled up into a ball on the floor. Every week he went through the same procedure, and every week he could not live up to his name. He, the first and only son of the clan leader, was a failure; weak in every way. Kyomu fought back salty tears.

The screen door behind him opened yet again, and he flinched at the notion of his father coming in for another round. Instead of heavy footsteps, he heard the light steps of small feminine feet, and instantly relaxed. Kneeling in front of him, his mother cupped his face with his hands, lifting it so he would look her in the eye.

She was still a beautiful woman. Even after all the years of having to live with her husband's bad temper and the abuse of her only child, she still retained her sweet and kind face. Even with the wrinkles near the edges of her eyes, around her mouth and the graying of her hair, Kyomu still believed his mother to be the most elegant and refined beauty in the whole town. At the sight of her sympathy, Kyomu broke into tears.

She cradled her son, pulling him up to her lap like she did when he was a child. She rocked him side to side, caressing his bloodied face. "Shh, shh. It's all right. Everything is fine. Your father is gone, you can relax now."

Kyomu held onto his mother tightly for comfort. She always had a funny way of calming him down and made him, in spite of his father, feel important.

When the crying ebbed away the two simply sat on the floor, comforted by the other's embrace. They kept each other's company for hours while Yonju was out blowing off steam. Both worried that a violent walk through their fields wouldn't cool Yonju off completely. Nonetheless they stayed calm and silent, only to separate when the sun started to sneak away behind the mountains.

Kyomu escaped to the cool evening air, walking through town until he found some shelter. Although small, their unknown town had many places to relax, one of those places being the small well in the center of the village. He sat down at its edge, looking up to the stars of the night sky. He hated himself for crying, and he loathed his conviction. No matter how many times his mother denied his village status as a "failure", the words he heard every day from his father and uncles seemed to seep into his skin and burrow a way to his heart. Kyomu truly felt like a failure, and he began to believe it was true.

Ever since he became of age, the teen was always expected to be powerful and wise like his father (A man who had led their clan for over a decade.) Yet he never felt motivated to be a leader. Kyomu was far more interested in nature, and science. He wanted to experiment, not exterminate. Granted, he would have loved to be born big and strong, to win over his father and impress Kotone. That mask, however, of a strong man would have been forced. It wasn't Kyomu. Shaking his head dejectedly, Kyomu folded his hands in his lap. He could just imagine how disappointed his father had to be feeling. He was their only child, a disappointment of a miracle baby.

A slight ruffling of the grass turned Kyomu's attention to his right, where he gasped at the sight of _her_. Kotone was an elegant girl. Though she was his age, she held an air of maturity. She was classy. Kyomu and the other village boys dreamed to impress her slim self since the day they learned cooties weren't such a bad thing. Of course, Kyomu wouldn't have cared if she was fat or thin, shapeless or shapely. There was a welcoming essence to her that made her so attractive. She had always been kind to Kyomu, the village failure.

She strolled towards him, her hands behind her back, dressed in a very light-weight fabric dress and shawl. She smiled at him. "The stars are so pretty in the summer, don't you think?" She asked, taking a seat next to him on the well.

Her heart-shaped face had an overwhelming glow to it in the moonlight, and her hazel eyes felt even warmer than usual. Kyomu's intensive stare grazed over her feature, catching her attention. Their eyes connected and froze. Kyomu felt something warm rise up in his chest, before they both tore away and focused on the stars above.

"Yeah, they really are." He mumbled, once again drawn to her features with a second gaze. However Kotone must have been purposefully ignoring his intrusive gazes and continued to absorb the beautiful stars and the time passed and Kyomu still hadn't looked away. The stars were nothing to him when put in comparison to Kotone. Upon realizing he would not turn away, Kotone made eye-contact for a second time.

Now with the opportunity, he searched her eyes with the intention of reading her thoughts. It was a silly notion, but Kyomu had always felt they shared something deeper than a minute friendship. By being around her, the overall possibility of that expanded. He felt calm and collected with her, trusted even. He felt he could open up to her…yet he never had. There were always barriers stopping him from taking a chance with her, in spite of their many years as friends. One barrier, and perhaps the most prominent, was his nervousness. Even now just the thought of asking her on a date made his palms sweat and his heart race. His anxiety only escalated time passed where Kotone never looked away.

He felt vulnerable to her eyes. Beside from his mother, Kotone had such an easy time at reading his emotions. The girl always knew how to act around Kyomu, and at times he appreciated her intuitivism. Now, however, he felt that his heart was revealed to her and he couldn't help it. A part of him wanted her to see the warmth in his eye that he only ever gave to her.

Much to his surprise, one of her delicate hands reached to his face, gently brushing from his temple to his chin. Though he didn't object, his breath caught. Her skin was smooth, touch gentle. Her hand stopped over a particularly nasty cut on his cheek as her forehead creased and jaw clenched.

"That looks like it hurt." She lightly commented, relaxing her suddenly hard features. It was times like this Kyomu wished he could read her mind. Unable to stop she put her free hand on the other side of his face. The sheer intimacy was unheard of, but not uncomfortable. Thinking that it might in fact be uncomfortable for Kyomu, Kotone quickly pulled away. Her head snapped the other direction. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have."

His eyes wide and unblinking, Kyomu stuttered a string of incoherent words before finally managing, "no, it's okay. That was…" His mind was in a flurry, what to say, and how to say I was suddenly alien to him. He was never this awkward around his friends! "That was nice…"

When she didn't look back to him, Kyomu sighed, his eyes downcast. Though his vision never made it to the grass, for it got caught on her right hand. He imagined her gently caressing his face again. With the urge to make her feel as she had him, he tentatively moved his left towards hers before gently placing it on top. He felt an electric flare go off and up his spine.

Quickly she pulled her hand away and to her lap with her other. Kotone risked a brief glance to Kyomu's face. "I'm sorry…" she whispered. "I…I can't." A long moment of silence passed before Kotone stiffened, and hastily turned her body to face him. She leaned towards him inquisitively. "But I really want to! I really do, Kyomu!" Her hazel eyes were pleading.

Kyomu's heart skipped a beat.

He grinned foolishly. "Really? Well why not, why can't you?" He looked deeply to her for answers, only to get rejection as her features hardened and she pulled back. It seemed clear to him then. "Oh, I get it. My father." Kyomu hissed as he pushed off of the well, prepared to stomp away.

A soft hand reached out and held him back by the arm as Kotone replied, "No, Kyomu. It's not your father!"

He refused to look at her, keeping his attention forward. "So it's me? You aren't allowed to like the village failure?" He croaked, roughly pulling his arm out of his grasp before briskly walking away.

Kotone followed suit, keeping up with his fast pace all the way into the border of the forest. "No! It's _my_father, Kyomu. It's me!" At that, he turned to face her as she willingly put herself out there for judgment. Peeved, she explained, "You know my father, you know how traditional he is. I can't be with you because…because…" Kotone buried her face in her hands.

She finally exploded; she threw her hands up in the air and barked, "Because I'm engaged to Ryouta! They set it up three weeks ago, and there's nothing I can do to get out of it." Tears gathered in her eyes before running down both cheeks. Kyomu was aghast. "But I've _tried_to get out of it. Ryouta isn't the one I want to marry!"

When Kyomu responded with silence, she went on. "You've always been so caring and sweet, and modest. You welcomed me to play with you when we were just kids, despite how all the other boys insisted that you didn't. You feel things emotionally and you open your heart to the world in which you see so positively." By now she was sobbing. "And Ryouta is such a jerk, and my father won't listen, and my mother is just a spirit in the heavens. I have no say, I never have. But _you_. Youlisten to me, and you respect me! And don't deny that you love me too, I feel it."

Kyomu didn't want to hear any more, he wrapped himself around her, embracing her. Needless to say, it was a much-needed hug for both parties.

He cradled her gently, all the while whispering, "Don't worry. We'll find a way, we'll be together."

xXx

Many more years passed and things didn't change. Despite harboring their secret love for one another, both Kyomu and Kotone were forced to move on. The marriage was post-poned until adulthood for reasons unknown, though Kyomu had the inkling that Kotone had somehow managed to persuade her father into delaying the marriage. Still, the two spent years apart with only brief moments to be together. Most days Kotone was forced to spend and connect with Ryouta, while Kyomu faced the burning wrath of his father.

Things at the Yamada house became worse, and the beating was heavier. Broken limbs accompanied by spells sickness bounced between Kyomu and his mother. Both were dissatisfactory family members. Even after becoming a somewhat reasonable young adult, he had yet to develop his secret family jutsu. (A justsu so secret that, until he felt it awaken, he wasn't allowed to know what it was.) While he was powerless, his mother was unable to produce a more capable heir. Even worse to endure than her neglect was her imminent death; frequent alcohol-fueled beating weakened her body. A bad case of fever hit the town hard, and without medical shinobi or any connection to the modern world and their knowledge of the sciences the people were left defenseless.

The funeral took place on a large open field near the town's small shrine. It was a bright sunny day, which seemed ironic considered how dreary Kyomu felt. He stood by his mother's grave for hours afterwards, the light autumn wind picking up and tousling his hair like his mother used to. His only supporter lay beneath him, six feet under. It wrenched his heart.

Kotone stayed with him afterwards without any suspicion. Over the years both she and Kyomu had become quite the crafty liars. Always sneaking around, they were never truly together. It was just another reminder of the failure Kyomu was.

She wrapped her arm around his, letting him lean his head on her shoulder. "She's in a better place now, you know. She's finally at peace." Kotone told Kyomu. "She was such a strong woman, I don't think grieving would do her justice."

Kyomu's empty eyes looked into hers. "I know. You're right. I know that she's free now, but it still hurts." Images of his father briefly flashed through his mind.

The duo took a stroll to the well, where they admitted their love all those years ago. Unlike their usual time together, something about Kotone felt different. Putting the passing of his mother aside, Kyomu witnessed quick changes in her features, as if she thought of saying something but never got to it.

Once they finally reached the well they took the same seats as before, this time their hands and fingers laced together without hesitation. The sky in the daytime felt darker to Kyomu, like it wasn't as bright without his mother in the world to fuel it. Everything felt colder, and Kyomu shivered at the thought.

Kotone's grip on his hand tightened, causing him to look over to her. She broke into a large smile. "I have some amazing news for you…I was so happy. I was going to tell you earlier, but then the people started to become infected. I just want you to know now." Just then the sudden difference in Kotone made sense, and Kyomu could trace it back to a few weeks ago. He could almost envision the news, she was practically glowing, whereas he was appalled. He ran through their secretive evenings together, alarmed that he'd missed very significant detail only weeks ago. Kyomu felt an invisible force knocked the wind out of him.

Angrily he retrieved his hand and stumbled off the well. "You're pregnant, aren't you?" His tone was accusatory. His initial reaction was anger, but in his heart he almost felt ecstatic. Ignoring their given situation as a secret couple, a child was almost welcomed.

His love's face fell rapidly. "And you're not happy? I thought you'd be happy!" Kotone quickly pushed off the well and went to Kyomu's side, reaching for his hands. Successfully she grabbed them and squeezed. Apparently, she felt strongly about her pregnancy.

He practically choked on his words they poured out of him so fast. "How could I be happy, Kotone? How?" He roughly shoved her own left hand in her face where she could see the glittering golden ring around her finger. "You're _married_. I can't raise a child with you, and most importantly you can't raise a child with _me_!" Kyomu pulled away again, feeling sick to his stomach. "I knew this was wrong, so wrong. You're married. You've _been_married. That baby doesn't belong to me, and I don't deserve it!" The good morals his mother had once instilled all came rushing back as he poked peevishly at his temples. "I'm going to go to hell!"

Kotone dismissed his words by violently shaking his head. "No, no you're not. Ryouta means nothing to me, and he won't mean anything to this baby." She stroked her stomach lovingly, catching Kyomu's attention. Her eyes were soft and warm. In a hushed voice, she murmured, "You know, we could run away together. You, me, and the baby." Her voice grew stronger with every word she uttered.

The idea was tempting, as Kyomu would do anything to be with her. But he knew it was wrong.

Without word Kyomu stormed into the forest, shoving branches and vines out of his way with a furious vigor. Kotone was smart enough not to follow as he bulldozed his path into the eerie trees. His thoughts were swarming, and more than ever he hated himself. The way he saw it was he wasn't strong enough for anything, not to impress his father, save his mother, or even be with Kotone.

Yet her notion to run away seemed increasingly more appealing. There was nothing holding Kyomu to the tiny village. The only person who could have kept him there was a corpse in the dirt. The only other person, who would have been a reason to stay, wanted to go _with_him. It made sense. He didn't care about his responsibility as the first and only son of Yonju Yamada. He never saw himself as a leader, anyways. This way they could be together, and he could finally investigate the sciences like he'd always hoped to.

His pace slowed as he thought more on the topic, and the environment around him stopped blurring together. Slowly, but surely, he was able to piece together his thoughts and make sense of things. Collapsing against a nearby tree, Kyomu laid his head on his knees, intent on making a choice.

Yes, there was always a chance his clan jutsu would develop late, thus giving him the power to rule the village and claim Kotone as his own without any hassle. Could they wait for that day to come? What if it never did? He and Kotone would both age, her stomach would get bigger, and soon she and Ryouta would establish a name and a family for themselves. What if, by the time his jutsu would supposedly come, Kotone had already moved on from the juvenile notion of running away?

The loose leaves on the ground rustled. Kyomu didn't bother to look; he merely shook the creature away with his hand. "Kotone, just go away. Leave me some time to think." He groaned exasperated, burying his face further in his knees.

A high-pitched, airy voice responded. "Kotone? Who is this '_Ko__-__tone_'?"

Worriedly, his head shot up to see the intruder. Instinctively he looked up and away from him, when he should have been looking right in front of him. There, before him, was a spirit. Transparent and mysterious, it was just a young girl no older than eight or nine. She wore a silk kimono, and had her filmy hair tied up in a bun. Her arms were crossed together in her long sleeves over her front traditionally, and she looked to Kyomu with such curiosity it was astounding.

"W-who are you?" Kyomu asked, pushing himself further against the tree to try and put some space between them.

The spirit's chubby child-face was oddly stoic. "My name is Yuri. I am the village spirit." She gestured her hands out to her sides in a fluid motion before returning them to her sleeves. "I believe your people know of me from the tale of the Little Lost Boy."

Kyomu nearly drowned in his own surprise. He doubted if what he was seeing was true, and if it was would have never imagined her to look quite like this. "I used to come out here looking for you." He mumbled to himself, slowly standing up.

There was a hint of a smile to her face, but like lightning it quickly went away. "I know, Yamada Kyomu. I only aid people who are lost and need assistance in finding their way."

He quirked a brow. "Right…so what you're saying is that _I'm_lost?"

"In many ways, Yamada Kyomu. You are lost and confused. You desire to be with your one true love, but are afraid of leaving the only familiar place and feeling the wrath of your father. You have always felt dismissed, and have classified yourself as a failure. While the only thing you fail at is realizing your true potential." The spirit took a few steps backwards, and floated to a sitting position on a rock another few feet away. "Would you like to hear more?"

He gulped and nodded.

"Every person born in this village has the potential for greatness; it is in your blood. Distanced from the rest of the world for the reason of safety, this village is well hidden with the shinobi art of genjutsu. _You__, _Yamada Kyomu, are the heir to the village and have been denied your right to the jutsu by an outside force." Slowly, the spirit took one hand and placed it on her chest. "By me."

His form stiffened. "_You_? You're the reason I submitted to my father's torture since I was a child? You're the reason I'm weak?" He spat at the spirit vehemently.

"No, child." She responded calmly. "I am the reason you are _strong_."

Years of resentment and anger at his father burst forth all in one go. He bolted towards the spirit, hands out and ready to wrap around her thin little neck. Half-way he stopped, spirit or not she was still a young girl. Rather than attempt to hurt her, directed his hate to a tree nearby and swung a fist forward. It hit the wood, sending a hard vibration throughout his body. Kyomu allowed himself to fall to the ground, head down. "Why…what kind of sick joke is this?" He coughed, hands digging into the dirt.

"It is not a joke. But a blessing. Many from your village are too eager and rash, they waste their genjutsu abilities. Your mother saw this and prayed to me, the spirit, to bless you with a warm soul. I answered her prayers and buried your jutsu deep into your soul, only to be released when you are mature and ready." Yuri sank to the ground to be eye-level with Kyomu. "Now is the day. You are ready. You have witnessed death, deception, and darkness. You have seen the evils of the world, as well as the blessings. You are ready."

Yuri sighed and closed her eyes as she slowly placed both palms over his forehead. Kyomu could feel the spirit's touch, and it caught his attention. The touch alone spread a light, weightless feeling throughout his body. It spread from his forehead, to his chest, and all the way to his legs.

"All these years I have waited to unlock your gift, and it is the last of my strength I give to you in the hope that you use your gifts for good. I see brightness in you. Use it."

The moment Yuri's hand retreated from his forehead, Kyomu collapsed in a world of darkness.

xXx

"_Kyomu…__Kyomu__, __wake__up…"_

The voice was such a sweet, soft voice. In a world of pure black, Kyomu's heart was comforted by the voice that floated through his thoughts. He unconsciously smiled at the voice, but did not wake up.

"…_please__, __wake__up…"_

Now the voice felt more familiar. He could almost picture his darling, pregnant Kotone near him. He could feel her hand around his, so close soft it was almost _real_. The more she spoke, the more her harmonic voice tugged on his mind. Slowly she pulled him out from his brief sleep. Color came back to his world of black as he opened his eyes. Everything was blurry, especially the form hovering above him. Was that Kotone? Or was he still imagining things.

He could just barely make out a face, a beautiful heart-shaped face; though he recognized her hazel eyes almost instantly. He grinned up at his love knelt over his form. Happiness overtook her with his recovery, evident in the way she smothered him in a tight hug. His shaky arms proceeded to wrap around her in response.

Tears dripped onto his sleeve. "I was so worried!" Kotone cried, now overwhelmed with emotion she hugged him tighter. "I thought you'd never come back to me!"

Kyomu stroked the back of her head lovingly, taking a deep breath in. He felt calm with her, and wanted to remember this moment forever. He took a moment to look around at the open field, dimming blue sky and the old well only inches behind them. Naturally, he was confused. Where were the trees, and Yuri?

Something stung at his head and he groaned, both hands automatically moving to the source of the pain; he clutched his forehead. "Ugh, what happened to me?" He asked through his teeth.

Kotone removed her wet face from his shoulder and smiled at him, placing her hands over his. "You collapsed. We started to fight about, well, running away together, and you tripped on your way to the forest. You fell backwards and hit your head on the well…" She meekly pointed to the light discoloration of the stone edge, most likely from his wound.

"Ouch."

She outright laughed at his reaction, smothering his face with kisses. "I'm just so happy you're all right. I don't know what I'd do without you."

The two stayed together on the field for a long while, comfortable in the other's embrace. Eventually they separated to separate sitting positions and talked. Just talking with Kotone was enough for Kyomu, considering he couldn't formally be with her. Yet.

Changing the conversation from the upcoming season, Kyomu's eyes turned downward as he began, "You know, I've been thinking about our _situation_. Do you remember all those years ago, when in this very field I promised you we'd find a way to be together?" At that he turned to look into her eyes.

She tilted her head to the side, her hair delicately falling over her shoulder. "Yes, I do. The moment after when you held me, that was the greatest moment of my life…" She quickly blushed, Kyomu was never supposed to know that specific detail.

His hand reached out and grasped hers affectionately. He leaned forward, the other hand pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, and said, "Well, I think I've found that way… I think… I think my clan jutsu has developed."

Kotone's jaw dropped. "What? Honey, that's so great!" She exclaimed, tightening her hand around his. "How did it happen?"

Smiling modestly, he continued, "It happened when I was out, after I hit my head. I guess I saw something, a spirit. She unlocked it and then disappeared… I can't explain it, but I feel different. I feel stronger, and confident. Like large, heavy weights have been lifted off my shoulders. Like I can breathe again for the first time." He glanced to their intertwined hands. "You know what this means, right?"

Kyomu didn't wait for an answer, and he exuberantly went on, "It means I can take over as the Village Head. We don't have to run away together, we just have to wait for my father to relinquish the position or die!" The notion of his father dying was completely called for, for Kotone knew about the horrors that happened behind closed doors in his household.

Excitedly, Kyomu placed a hand on her stomach. "As soon as I'm the leader, we can be together. You can divorce Ryouta with my help. We can be a family." He was so happy he felt like a child again, the same child who believed anything his mother said.

A delicate smile painted her face as she murmured, "A family? That sounds so nice…"

The duo gushed about the future for the entire afternoon in the privacy of the field, holding hands and smiling. The death of his mother didn't seem so bad when he had Kotone with him, her presence instantly made his fears and worries disappear…

At least until she left, and he would be alone once again.

xXx

With every plan came problems, or slight complications. Kyomu did his best to train with his newfound confidence, finally building up the muscle that supposedly came with his genetics. His father proved to be a strong old man, and in the nearly nine months that followed that pleasant day in the field the old geezer was still up and running. Kyomu didn't release the good news to his godforsaken father. Oh no, he wanted it to be a surprise. He wanted to see the look on Yonju Yamada's face when he challenged him to a duel and came out with steel muscles and a frighteningly strong, reality-altering genjutsu. Kyomu planned to use Yonju's special talents against him.

Things at the Yamada household were different. The physical abuse had stopped long ago when Kyomu became of age, but the mental and emotional abuse had remained. Now, however, it slowly died down. Something about Kyomu was different, and not only did his father notice, but the whole village as well. Kyomu was reborn into a new man, a stronger man, perhaps the son Yonju had always wanted. The intelligent man put on a mask of obedience and manners to his father. Only when the time was right would he revert back to the son Yonju hated, and then severely beat his father out of vengeance.

Or, at least the confrontation would go _something_like that…

No matter how amazing things at the Head Household were going, they were not the same for Kotone. Her marriage was centered around obedience to her husband, who resembled Kyomu's father in the drinking aspect. Kyomu became increasingly worried about Kotone's life on the home front, hoping that the conflict wouldn't escalate to violence.

Kyomu was out working the rice fields when an old friend of Kotone's, Ami, ran up to him. Sweat stained her dress near the collarbone and under the arms, and her breathing was shallow yet Ami didn't pause. She came straight up to Kyomu, grabbed his sleeve and pulled him away from his work.

"Kotone…in labor…requested…you…" She huffed as she continued on. Kyomu's eyes opened wide and he sped up his pace, quickly overtaking Ami and leading _her_along towards Ryouta's home.

When he arrived there he stopped briefly in front of Ryouta who was leaning nonchalantly up against a porch post. "Is she okay?" Kyomu babbled, getting an uncaring shrug from his former childhood friend. Kyomu's eyes narrowed as he burst forth into the house, eventually following the sound of Kotone's pained gasps and screams to the bedroom.

It was…horrific.

There laid Kotone, so sweaty her hair stuck right to the edges of her face. Both hands clutched her in-law's violently as she screamed. The sheets beneath her were bloody, and if Kyomu didn't know any better, that looked like a bad sign. His heart sunk.

She caught him in the doorway and instantly smiled. She used one hand to shakily gesture him towards her; Kyomu obeyed. He came to her side, replacing Ryouta's father. He held her hand, the free one stroking her face. She was comforted by the gesture, but it wasn't enough.

Things didn't get any better for Kotone. There was more blood, and even more pain for what felt like eternity as she pushed their child to life. With every push she grew weaker, and during the breaks in between pushing the village doctor would sigh. Kyomu glared at the man, determined to confirm that the labor was going smoothly. However, nothing in the doctor's expression gave him any hope. Especially when the doctor looked right at Kyomu and shook his head.

With a final push, the doctor pulled out a bloody, limp baby from beneath the sheets and handed it over to the grandmother. The baby wasn't responding, it merely hung limp in the grandmother's arms. Kyomu felt the color drain from his face. A weak tug on his arm from Kotone forced him to look back at her.

"Is he…beautiful?" Kotone whispered, referring to their son. Their stillborn son. Kyomu felt tears in his eyes as he looked at Kotone, her skin such a white sickly color. One child did this to her. _One__**. **_Kyomu would live his life without any children if he could just have Kotone.

Kyomu gulped and nodded, "Yes, he's so beautiful," Kyomu lied.

For a brief, temporary moment Kotone's face brightened. " Good… I'm so…" Quickly her smile fell, her eyelid drooping. "I'm so…" Her grip on Kyomu's hands slackened, until finally her bony fingers fell away from his altogether.

He choked, quickly clutching her limp hand once more. "You're so what? So what, Kotone?" He gasped, lightly tapping the sides of her face. His whole body was shaking from the anxiety that _this_moment would be their last. He didn't want that, he only wanted her. Forever.

With what was her last strength, Kotone mouthed words that nobody would ever come to hear, before her heart gave out and she stopped breathing completely.

"No…" Kyomu barked, "NO!" He repeated, rapidly shaking her by the shoulders. "This can't be happening! Kotone, hear me! Come back to me!" Salty tears rolled down his cheeks as he shook her some more, his weight so heavy that he collapsed by her bed side.

Rough hands dug into his shoulders and began pulling him away. His eyes locked on Kotone, Kyomu resisted. He fought madly, arms and legs flailing everywhere. The two men, who he suspected to be Ryouta and his father, were very persistent. Nothing, however, could separate him from Kotone at that moment. He escaped from their hold and scampered back to the floor by her bedside, by her corpse.

He burrowed his head into her limp arm, repeating the same words over again until eventually the family wrapped up the two corpses and carried them out the door.

He continued to wail, the past hour on rewind in his mind.

xXx

If he would have been asked only a year prior if he'd attend the funerals of the only two people he truly loved over the course of ten months, Kyomu would have outright laughed. Even the general idea of the tragedies he had faced was unlikely, improbably at best for the average person. As usual, fate had a different plan for Kyomu. He'd beaten the odds, he was that "lucky" two percent. How he despised logistics.

The funeral for Kotone was smaller than it was for his mother. Kotone was just a young woman; she hadn't made a name for herself in town yet. She was just starting out, figuring out how to be a wife, and a mother. There was no time in her schedule when it came to household duties and frolicking with Kyomu to build up her reputation; whereas the late Madam of the Head Family had years of meetings and connections to attract a much larger, hospitable crowd at her funeral. Nevertheless, the funeral hurt Kyomu in the same way. His chest felt tight, and this time there was no light on the other end. His light had died, taking his spirit with her.

All during the funeral, as an under-paid preacher did his best to act as if he personally knew Kotone, Kyomu glared at the other person he hated most. Surprisingly, it was not his father whom he loathed, it was Ryouta. On the day of her death, three weeks ago, Kyomu could distinctly remember how cold Ryouta had been. He merely shrugged when Kyomu had inquired to her health and the labor. Not only that, but Ryouta was a drunk, a liar, a cheat, and an abuser. Precisely like Kyomu's father. Sighing deeply, Kyomu controlled his anger with balled, white-knuckled fists and the same thought repeating in his mind: _Why__are__all__the__men__in__this__town__such__bastards__? _

When the formal part to the funeral was over and those who did not wish to stay any longer left -which was an overwhelming majority, Kyomu approached her wooden cross, the only thing that the world had to remember her by. Next to Kyomu stood Ryouta, a toothpick between his teeth and a nonchalant stance.

Kyomu half-turned to Ryouta. "I'm sorry for your loss," he started, grinding his teeth together. The urge to hurt Ryouta was strong.

"Nah," Ryouta mused, shoving his hands in his pockets, "she was a whore." Slowly Ryouta looked both ways before coming close to Kyomu and shoving his finger at his chest. "I'm glad she and that baby died. They deserved it. Too bad you couldn't go with them."

Kyomu tensed, his eyes flickering every which and way to see just who was watching the close and hostile encounter. All Kyomu saw was his father, who was too far away to hear the words exchanged anyways. Disarming the threat, he set his sights back on Ryouta. The man made Kyomu sick.

"How?" Kyomu inquired.

Ryouta smirked and pulled away, replying smugly, "Any man who cries like you did over his 'friend' obviously feels like more than that. Either that baby wasn't mine, or you're just one effed up stalker." Ryouta spat on the grave, the toothpick between his lips shot down and burrowed itself in the fresh soil.

Kyomu kept himself calm as he watched Ryouta disrespect the dead and walk away, though it was not an easy task. His heart raced with the anticipation of a fight, jaw clenching and unclenching with a violent rhythm.

The moment the coast was clear, Kyomu made a run for it. He went in a completely random direction, at a random speed. It was all instinct, and desire. He wanted to escape, get away from the prying eyes of his father, and the cruelty of Ryouta. He let his feet choose his destination, taking him wherever they saw fit. The wind whipped at his face, making his skin raw. As if scraping away the layers of skin that Kotone had touched with her soul. He bit back more tears, more sadness…more memories.

Kyomu stopped at the oh-so familiar clearing, slowing his pace to a brisk walk. He stumbled towards the well, collapsing and hanging himself over the edge. He was a limp ragdoll, at mercy of the low well waters.

"What if I just…fell in…" Kyomu babbled incoherently. Ever since Kotone's death, Kyomu had become more like his father in an alcoholic sense. His intoxication made the deep waters of the well seem gentle and welcoming, like Kotone. As if falling and drowning in the waters would be like her embracing him, accepting him… Kyomu dreamt of it, and he slowly inched his body forward, hoping with every push he'd fall. He closed his eyes and waited, waited for the embrace.

A stone from the well broke unexpectedly under his weight, forcing Kyomu's body forward. He kept his eyes tight and closed, mouth sewn shut. The initial catalyst was quicker than he anticipated, yet the fall seemed to be taking forever. He felt so light and weightless, as if he was hanging there. He waited for the impact of the water, but felt nothing. Nothing but air.

Kyomu opened one eye and peered into the depths, his face apparently close to the water's surface but not touching. He felt two hands holding his sides that he never felt before, and craned his neck around to see better.

A very frightening-looking man looked back at him. In physical build the man was nothing special, but it was his face that made Kyomu's gut lurch. A narrow, snake-like face painted like a performer's. The man had long black hair like a woman's, and he wore an odd black robe embroidered with red clouds. Had Kyomu's society ever been blessed with great classics like Batman or Star Wars, they would have known that a man with abstract makeup is never to be trusted. However, Kyomu had never been approached by a person such as this one, and thus assumed the man to be a good, honest gentleman merely helping another out.

The man pulled Kyomu's intoxicated form up and over, plopping him down limply on the grass against the well. "There ya go, buddy." The man said in a strangely friendly tone as he rubbed his hands together theatrically. "Don't wanna fall in now, do we?"

"HA! How would you know?" Kyomu drabbled on in a minutely drunken slur as he waved a hand in front of him. "You don't look like the hospitable type, so whatchu doin' helping me?"

The other man's face fell. "You're right. I'm not the hospitable type; I'm not here to help you out of the well." He sighed and loosened his grip, letting Kyomu scream and slide forward so that his nose tickled the surface of the water before stopping.

A confused and angry face on Kyomu's part beckoned the man to go on. "Now, I've been wandering through this town for a year now. I thought it might make a nice safe haven for me, I'm in a bit of trouble you see. My apprentice and I couldn't help but notice your little scene the other week, inside the dead woman's house." Roughly the man lifted Kyomu out of the well, dropping him on the grass.

The man knelt down in front of Kyomu, his tone taking a dark turn. "You were in love with her. I'm no fool. Right now you're a pitiful blob of a man, blaming yourself for her death. You think that if you were stronger, you could have saved her. Don't you?"

Angrily, Kyomu shoved the man aside. "I don't care what you think! She's gone now, that's all there is to it." He got up from the ground and began to stumble away. "Now if you'll excu-"

He was stopped when the man blocked his path by rushing in front of him, grabbing at his biceps. "Don't deny it! You desire strength, power. You want revenge on her husband and more, I can see it in your eye_sss_." Kyomu struggled but was held in check. "I know what power you search for, I know how you can get. Those people you hate, with this power, they will _meet __their __maker_. And I can give it to you! I can grant you the glorious strength!" The man was ecstatic on the topic, his chest heaving from his exaggerations. Still, Kyomu was listening; intently.

Relaxed now, Kyomu was released. He took a step back to put distance between the two of them before saying, "Say, what's your name?"

A sickening grin slithered onto his face. "Orochimaru."

xXx

**A****/****N****: **BOOM.

I liked writing this. I think Kyomu is a great character.

I think that based on the title of the chapter and its association with Orochimaru we can assume how things are going to go. Initially this was all I was going to offer about Kyomu, but I've decided to explain about what he did as a young adult that led to the destruction of his village and the underground base. Also, you're probably confused about his jutsu. No worries, I've figured it out.

Kudos to the ever so wonderful, totally bitchin' Sendicard! XD

Anyways, I'm out.

Peace.

~ Dahlia


	27. Origin of the Oblivion Seal Part 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto and Bleach, or Bleach and Naruto. I also don't favor one over the other…most of the time. Oh jeez, these disclaimers just get worse by the minute. I am soooo not a comedian.

* * *

><p>A cold wind drifted through the open screen doors, wafting over the sweaty forehead of one Yamada Kyomu, in a defensive stance with his chest heaving up and down. An equally sweaty man, about thirty years his elder, stood before him. The man's eyebrows rose high into his hairline, the wrinkles growing deeper with each second he crouched their, concentrating. His fingertips pressed on both sides of his temples, his eyes closed shut.<p>

"Good! Good, fight back!" Yonju, clan and village leader, rang out as he attempted to penetrate the mind and alter the reality of his very own son. Genjutsu was a very powerful thing, and ever since a few years ago Yonju had all but given up when his son came home a changed man. It was a miracle. Thus he began training right again. One thing led to another, and there they were, in the daily grind. Kyomu fought back against a flurry of visions, and made it look _easy_.

Yet it was anything but easy. Almost all of his visions had to do with his mother or his long-lost love. In every dream they were killed over and over again, right before his eyes. Whether or not this was his father's doing, he didn't know. What he did know was that he hated his father for doing it. A deep, festering hatred embedded in the muscle of his heart.

Kyomu's knees shook rapidly until he slid onto the ground, falling into submission. Disappointed, his father grunted and pulled away, releasing his son in their mental battle. Yonju paced before his own flesh and blood, disgruntled.

"Failure is unacceptable." He mumbled, crossing his arms as he faced his huffing son. "One day you're going to replace me, my boy. I need you strong enough to handle the responsibilities of the Village leader." Yonju scratched at his chin, pondering the various methods he could use to train his boy faster as said boy coughed and rolled to his back. The brief pain Kyomu experienced in his stomach went unnoticed by Yonju, who continued to ponder.

Finally catching his breath, Kyomu managed to say, "I can't help it… We've been at this…for hours." He pushed himself up to a kneeling position, his hands the only thing holding him up. "There's no time…to-"

His words were cut short when a calloused hand reached for him, waiting for his grasp. Could it possibly be what he thought it was? His evil, demented father offering him a hand? Kyomu looked to him skeptically, but could not read his face. Deciding that he was already going to hell, he gratefully took the help of his personal Satan.

"Good, stand up." Yonju responded as he briefly helped up his son. His suspicious act of kindness was short-lived. The moment Kyomu was almost upright he let go and walked to the corner of the room where an old cupboard was located. Moments later Yonju returned with a set of kunai. He held one of the kunai to Kyomu, nodding to the sharp object. "Take it. I'm going to teach you the clan jutsu, or at least I'll _try_." His tone was anything but approving.

With shaky hands Kyomu took the kunai and held in front of him, it being the only thing keeping the distance (he thought) from his father. He didn't like where things were going. Giving his crazed father a weapon didn't seem like a very smart idea. Yet no matter how nervous he may have felt about a possible fight, his father seemed almost nonchalant. The man merely stood there, both hands with the single kunai behind his back. There was a shaky streak of silence, where only the slight breeze and ruffling of wind chimes outside could be heard before Yonju Yamada unexpectedly said:

"Now throw it at me."

Kyomu gagged on the words, to his father the reaction meant Kyomu did not want to do such an act; however, the reaction of surprise masked Kyomu true intent. After all the years of childhood torment, abuse, and neglect he wanted nothing more than to throw and even drive the kunai right through his father's chest. But just a single stab didn't seem like it would be enough. If Kyomu ever did get the chance to kill his father –and he always imagined he would- he wouldn't just stab and run, he'd carve and paint with his father's fleshy remains. A grotesque thought, yes, but Kyomu couldn't help it. The urge to perform such an inhumane act was strong inside his heart.

Still, he had to maintain the image of a good son for the sake of the village that hated him so much. (Word of him and Kotone spread fast.) Quickly, he pretended to care. "What? Are you crazy? I'd kill you!" He responded, mentally adding, _I'd stab again and again and again._

Toughly his father bellowed with laughter. "You think you could kill me? Boy, you have much to learn." He explained rudely, continuing, "This is part of the demonstration. Just throw it, don't worry about me."

Kyomu rubbed his clammy hands against his cargo pants one at a time before raising the kunai before him, waiting with anticipation for his arms to kick into gear. He was ready to throw the weapon, more than ready to impale his father. Yet this act would be the first act of aggression in a very long time, since Kotone's death. He'd been trying to avoid physical violence, since filling the emptiness in his heart with aggression would only lead to more pain.

But just _looking _at the face of his father made his stomach boil; that empty, clueless face of a man who could care less about the offspring standing before him. He could hardly call that man a parental figure, since all he'd ever gotten from his father was a serious of bruises and swollen eyes. Kyomu's grip tightened as he unintentionally thought of his mother, and the bruises she sometimes had to match his. Before he knew it his hands were acting for themselves, propelling the kunai forward towards his father only yards away.

Time slowed as the weapon sliced the air from the moment his fingers lost contact with its metal handle. Kyomu felt a content smile rise up on his face as he imagined his father's death, but this time he was almost sure it would happen. Positive this would be the day he finally rid the world of Yonju Yamada. There was a sadistic glow to his eyes, which watched the weapon approach his father's unprotected chest in agony.

His father, once again proving to be a might foe, raised his hands. In a flash of fingers and palms his father signed a simple few hand signs, muttered some crazy foreign jutsu, and concentrated his eyes on the kunai. As if it was made out of dust, the kunai dissociated until it was gone, previously having been only inches from Yonju's chest. There was a puff of sand-like particles behind Yonju where the weapon reappeared, dropping to the ground with a clank.

Kyomu's heart took a plunge into his stomach, his chin practically falling to the ground. His desire for his father's death was inevitably lost at the sight of that jutsu, and immediately he wanted to know more. If to gain knowledge was to keep his father alive, he would willingly throw away his sadistic desires. Kyomu looked to the kunai, then to his father and stuttered a series of incoherent words.

His father rolled his eyes. "Speak up boy, you're not a damn mute." The old man wiped his hands together on one another, as if he had just completed a full day's word. "That is called Himitsu, given the same name as our village simply because our village is the only one to possess the capability. I can do it, your grandfather and grandmother could do it, and even your great grandfather all the way to distant ancestry could do it. Now, you will be able to do it.

"The whole world, including the one outside our village, is connected with what some call strings. Our clan has the ability to open up the strings, and rearrange them in order to move something from place to place. When you're strong enough, you can do it in a second, but for most it takes a few moments to transport something." Yonju explained, clasping his hands behind his back and stepping towards the open screen door. He looked out of it and to the rest of the village absent-mindedly. "Himitsu is a secret jutsu, Kyomu. I'm sad to say that not everyone in the village knows about it and our clan."

Kyomu blinked profusely, taking an angry step forward. "Wait, nobody out there knows? They have no idea that we can just do a few funny hand signs and suddenly they wouldn't be in the village, but a pond full of vicious piranhas?"

Yonju shook his head. "Don't get carried away, only strong shinobi could move actual people. Besides, do you even know of any piranha ponds?"

_Yeah, this house, _Kyomu thought to himself before following his father's gaze to the village. His face fell to something more solemn. There were so many people who didn't know, and apparently would never know. It felt like such a tough thing, to keep the secret. It had to have taken some toll on the Himitsu shinobi, somehow. A disturbing thought overcame him as his gaze fell to his feet.

"Did mom know?" Kyomu inquired in a shaky voice, avoiding eye-contact with his father.

There was a long drawn-out sigh from his father before the man responded, "No." Yonju suddenly stiffened and spun towards his son, out of habit he violently clutched Kyomu's collar. "And you will never tell a soul. Anyone who knows will assume you know. You must nevertalk about Himitsu. Never. For the safety of the village, this is your secret and you must keep it." His eyes were frantic, almost frightening. With no reply from the confused Kyomu, Yonju's grip on his collar tightened, his hand itching to curl itself around Kyomu's throat. "Do you understand me?"

Kyomu nodded quickly. "Yes. I do." He was relieved when Yonju let go, and stumbled back towards the rest of the house.

There wasn't even a brief glance over his shoulder as Yonju waved his son off with the flick of a wrist. "You're dismissed."

xXx

Kyomu dressed into something more comfortable and casual before strolling out of his house and away from his father. He didn't want to look at that man. The secret that he had been asked to hold was enormous, and he hated it. Every villager he passed, despite their hateful spitting in his direction, he felt like he was deceiving. Keeping something so important felt so wrong. Yet another reason that made Kyomu want to drop everything and leave the village. Unfortunately, he knew he had nowhere to go. The two most important people to him were dead, and now that he knew the clan secret he was practically tied to the land.

Though he had to admit, Himitsu was kind of cool. To relocate things so easily sounded very impressive, and for some reason he desired to be able to do such a thing. A small part of him, the beaten child that hadn't grown up inside, still wanted to make his father proud. Not only that, but the jutsu was pretty damn cool. If what his father said was true, and eventually he could actually move people, would he one day be able to move whole buildings? Or even the village? It was a tempting offer. All that power in a few movements of the hands.

Eventually Kyomu came to a familiar house, his heart pining for its old occupant. Kotone's house had long since been abandoned when her abusive husband, Ryouta, remarried and relocated with his parents and new wife. Needless to say, the origins behind the house were painful memories now. It hurt to think that years ago the love of his life sat there on that same porch where his new friend and mentor, Orochimaru, sat now.

Usually he came to Orochimaru when he needed guidance, which was almost always after a stressful training session with his father. Orochimaru looked up at the approaching Kyomu and smiled, next to him sat a young boy who Kyomu knew as 'Kabuto'. Like him, Kabuto sought guidance from Orochimaru as well.

The traveler waved Kyomu over to the porch. "I see you've been training with your father again, have you?" Orochimaru inquired. Today he looked especially ordinary, aside from the wacky hair and face; he had average villager clothes on; a potato-sack-looking tunic and pants. It was strange, considering Kyomu had gotten so used to seeing Orochimaru in his "work clothes", a long black overcoat with red clouds embroidered on it.

Kyomu climbed up the porch, taking a seat next to Orochimaru. He collapsed onto the whicker chair with a sigh, looking out to the dirt path he had come from. "That's old news." Kyomu expressed, sighing yet again. There were patches of upturned dirt in the lawn, like something had been pushed into the ground and pulled out. "Have the villagers warmed up to you yet?"

Orochimaru laughed humbly. "Ah, no, not yet. I've had an increasingly large amount of discouraging posts stuck in my lawn by the villagers of Himitsu." He shrugged.

The village name was enough to put Kyomu on edge, his muscles tightening. The village and the secret he was never supposed to spill shared the same name, and at that moment he wanted nothing more than to tell Orochimaru about the jutsu.

"Is there something you wish to tell me, Kyomu?" Orochimaru asked, finally turning his eyes away from his lawn and to Kyomu. "You know you can trust me."

His clenched his jaw. "Yeah, I know I can trust you," Kyomu responded, "But I'm not allowed to tell you. If I did... I don't know what would happen." Kyomu intertwined his fingers and rested his chin on his hands, upheld by his elbows on his knees. From the corner of his eye he looked, only to see Orochimaru intently staring at him.

Shaking his head Orochimaru leisurely sat back in his chair. "How much longer are you going to allow your father to control your life? It's unhealthy." He mumbled. "No matter what it is you can't tell me, I'm sure that if you _did _tell me, it wouldn't seem like such a big deal." Orochimaru laughed humorously, before continuing, "I'm a very good secret-keeper, you know."

Kyomu chuckled at the inside joke, earning a smile from the silent Kabuto. "Yeah, I know. The science laboratory in the basement which doesn't seem like much of a secret since you showed it to me." Kyomu whispered back.

"Oh, that's because we're friends!" Orochimaru stated, leaning forward in his chair to mirror Kyomu's position before craning his neck to look at Kyomu. "And friends tell friends everything."

Orochimaru was right. They were friends, in fact Orochimaru was his _only _friend. Kyomu twiddled his fingers in his lap, on the verge of talking. Peer pressure was horrendous. He felt like if he didn't tell Orochimaru, the man would simply hate him. But then again, wasn't that sort of thing only in stories? Real people didn't behave like that. Still, Kyomu felt obligated to tell. He had to tell. The secret would eat away at his insides if he didn't spill.

Slowly, but surely, he began explaining the events of that morning, from the abusive training to the shocking realization. When he came to the part of his mother not knowing his stomach churned. The fact that the secret was held from her made Kyomu think she was never even part of the family, just a woman meant for breeding. Kyomu shook the hate away and finished the explanation. He had a hard time putting what his father did into words, and by the end was increasingly skeptical that Orochimaru would believe him. When it was over he looked over to Orochimaru and Kabuto expectantly, their faces blank of emotion.

Luckily the silence didn't last too long, as Orochimaru immediately brightened. "I've never heard of something like that before… The ability to transport things, alter the threads of the universe…" Orochimaru's eyes turned cloudy as he faced away, pondering the thought. He fondled a hard black ring on his right pointer finger, turning it and twisting it deep in his own thoughts. Little did Kyomu know this wasn't the first time Orochimaru had run into it.

"Stop me if I'm wrong," young Kabuto interrupted, brushing a strand of his short gray hair back, "But isn't there a village legend similar to that?"

Quite suddenly Orochimaru smiled and turned right back to Kyomu. "Indeed, there is… Kyomu, have you ever heard of the legend of the Kuro Hone?"

Kyomu's eyebrows quirked, signaling that he didn't know it. The only legend he was ever told was the legend of the forest spirit, the same spirit that unlocked his chakra. Though he didn't say that part, the only person he ever told that tale to was Kotone. No one else would ever learn of his startling experience in the forest, where fable had turned to fact.

Orochimaru leaned back, crossed his legs, and rested the back of his head on his folded arms. "Well, supposedly it all took place centuries ago, around the time of the first shinobi. Himitsu was apparently plagued by a soul-eating devil they called Kuro Hone, or 'Black Bone'. Another name he's said to have is the Devil Jumper. Sound familiar?" His snake-like eyes narrowed.

"Wait, Devil Jumper?" Kyomu repeated, the name sounding familiar. "I might have read that somewhere before…"

The older man nodded. "Yes, I read it too, in the village records. They have a fair amount of books and legends about the Devil Jumper locked away, and I could only get my hands on one." He turned to Kabuto and snapped his fingers. "Go get the book, Kabuto."

As the boy nodded and retreated into the cottage, Orochimaru continued, "Many years ago –and this is how the legend starts- a strange creature invaded Himitsu, somehow making it past the extensive genjutsu keeping the village secret from the world. It was said to be a grotesque creature, about six or seven feet tall and made out of pure black bone. He wore a hard-as-stone white mask over his black skull, and had Hellfire red eyes that peered through two holes." Orochimaru smiled when he noticed Kyomu's discomfort at the description. "We can assume the devil was not human."

Kabuto returned with a large, leather book in hand and continued with the tale himself, "Not human at all. At first, the people didn't realize there was an invader. He came and went so quickly, his form dissolving like salt to water. He'd be in one place, and then another. By the time someone saw him up-close, he would take them by the shoulders and eat their _soul_."

Orochimaru laughed, taking the book from Kabuto and handing it to Kyomu. "Now now, don't get ahead of yourself. It's only rumored that he ate souls, and that rumor started as a religious theory. Really all he did was kill them, but nobody knows how or why."

"But that's not very important, what's important is what happens while Kuro Hone stays in the village for almost a century." Kabuto added.

"Correct again!" Orochimaru exclaimed. He opened the book up to the beginning of the tale in Kyomu's lap. "You see, the village people were such easy targets. The only defense they had was a genjutsu strong enough to protect themselves from other humans, not devils. Kuro Hone made residence in the village forest, and preyed on young lost girls that wandered out late at night. But that, of course, is besides the point." He offered a suspenseful smile, noticing Kyomu on the edge of his seat. "It is said that the village warriors rose up against the devil after eighty or so years with a new power. They were suddenly stronger, and used their new strength to drive the Devil Jumper out of their village."

Kyomu's eyes were downcast at the book as he flipped the pages, skimming over the text. Everything in it felt like it connected to something, but he didn't know what that was. He had an inkling that the answers would be in whatever power the village warriors obtained, and how they seemed to obtain it. The answers for that, however, seemed very far away as Orochimaru quickly took the book back and shoved it into Kabuto's arms.

"Well, that's all for today." Orochimaru spoke, jumping out of his seat. "I'm afraid it's time for me to go back to work." He walked to the cottage door, Kabuto following close behind.

Kyomu briskly stood and tried to follow to, but Kabuto blocked him from entering. "Wait, you're leaving the village already? You just got here hours ago!" Kyomu shouted into the house, the eerie familiarity making it hard for him to put his thoughts together. He wanted answers about the legend badly.

Seconds later Orochimaru appeared again, wearing the same black and red-cloud robe as before. "'Fraid not, dear friend. Work beckons me. But in the meantime, my young apprentice Kabuto will be here house-sitting." He put a scaly white hand on Kabuto's shoulder. The man quickly spun away, down the steps, and strode onto the dirt path. He waved back to the two, standing on his porch. "See you in a week!" He called out, back turned to hide his maleficent smile.

xXx

The afternoon where Kyomu learnt of Kuro Hone influenced the whole of his time, and even years later he researched the legends only to get the same information over and over again; in other words, he had found nothing. Nada. Zip. Increasingly Kyomu became annoyed with himself and the village's lack of resources. Nonetheless, at least he knew the legend thanks to his good friend Orochimaru.

Oh yes, over the course of a year or so the two became greater friends, and Orochimaru (despite his odd appearance and personality) became more of a father than Kyomu's real one ever was. Training with said biological father also progressed, and within a year Kyomu was capable to fight his father on equal terms, and even more. He had mastered the clan jutsu but never stopped trying to perfect Himitsu, much to Orochimaru's pleasure and his father's dismay.

Himitsu was a fulfilling jutsu to master, Kyomu noticed. He felt nearly whole with the power, like it was somehow filling the empty spots in his heart that Kotone and his mother had taken with them. Yet with such a power came the responsibility not to use it, which was difficult to say the least. Kyomu continually felt uncontrollable urges to lash out, and had the tendency to be aggressive and disobedient. It was not a quality looked upon with kindness from his father or village.

It seemed the longer he tried to make amends with the village people, the more they hated him. His adultery and betrayal was just the tip of the iceberg apparently, his friendship with the abnormal traveler being the base. People around town didn't seem to trust Orochimaru, while Kyomu did. He failed to notice any signs of danger, and even if he had he would have dismissed them immediately; Orochimaru was like a father. Dangerous or not, he was family now. Orochimaru was the strange uncle who played with lab toys that every family had.

Oh, and lab toys they were not. Sitting in his large underground lab, anyone could tell that there was more to it than just fun. Still, Kyomu ignored the signs. The various body parts enclosed in cylinders and the horrid smell all went right passed Kyomu on purpose. Currently, he sat before one of the counters, eyes focused on a small white snake in a cylinder. It squirmed in the green liquid and stared right back at Kyomu, its black eyes piercing.

Kyomu heard footsteps behind him and swiveled his chair to face the stairs leading up to the surface. Orochimaru appeared, but unlike usual he was not flanked by Kabuto. Strange.

"Ah, I see you've found my snake." Orochimaru said, faking a polite smile. He came to the counter, picked the snake up, and relocated it to a nearby wrought iron shelf while saying, "So, have you found out anything good? Anything interesting?"

The young adult shook his head and chuckled. "Nope. This village has a funny way of not being very resourceful. I can't find anything about Kuro Hone, except for the information in your book. I just…" He paused, throwing his head back to look at the ceiling. "I just really want to know what that power was, the power the villagers forced him out of town with."

Still with his back turned, Orochimaru accounted to some paper work on one of the tables and replied, "Well, you know it's just a silly folk tale, right?" He turned his neck to look at Kyomu skeptically. "_You know?_"

Sighing, Kyomu shook his head in approval. "Yeah…" His voice sounded oddly pessimistic.

Turning to face his semi-apprentice, Orochimaru shrugged his shoulders. "It's possible you're looking in all the wrong places. What if the answer isn't with Kuro Hone, but the history of your secret jutsu?" He raised his eyebrows inquisitively. "Isn't it possible your father may have some information on that topic, or at least the village Elder? Anyways," Orochimaru suddenly stopped short and reached into his pocket, "Right now there's something more important than that silly folklore, you know."

"Oh really, what?" Kyomu's expression perked up curiously. He eyed Orochimaru pocket, and followed his hand when he removed something from it. The object was enclosed by Orochimaru's fist and hidden from view, only making Kyomu want to know what it was more.

Without hesitation, Orochimaru pulled out a shiny black ring, the same ring Kyomu noticed he usually wore. The snake-like man held it out before Kyomu as an offering. "I think it's time we finalize your apprenticeship." Orochimaru stated, grinning.

Kyomu's eyes lit up when he held the ring in his own hand, the very ring he always thought was such a prized possession of Orochimaru's. He happily accepted, slipping it onto his index. The skin on his finger that the ring touched sizzled, and sent an electric shock up to the rest of his body. It was perplexing, and Kyomu was left speechless.

"Tell me, Kyomu, do you remember when I first met you?" Orochimaru asked, getting a nod from Kyomu. "Do you specifically remember what I said I could give you?"

Kyomu focused, thinking back to Kotone's funeral. He remembered being distraught and suicidal, yet he also remembered hating himself for not being able to save her. Then came along Orochimaru, offering the one thing that had come too late: power. Only now, Kyomu had a different intention for power. Before, he wanted to protect the village, but now? The power he felt with his clan jutsu made him thirsty for more, and he couldn't tell what it was, but at that very moment he suddenly felt like fighting and _winning_.

Like a lost puppy, Kyomu listened carefully to what Orochimaru had to say. "I can train you to be stronger, and give you the gift of limitless power. Together we can use our power to make a difference, and you can finally rise above and be the village leader you've always wanted to be." Orochimaru rose his eyebrows when Kyomu's face softened. Immediately he persisted. "You know you want it."

"You've always been interested in science, dear friend." Orochimaru went on, his grin enlarging. "You told me the very first week of our friendship that the scientific arts were more suited for you…" His words drifted as he approached a table covered by a tarp. Carefully he pulled the tarp off, revealing a gurney-like structure with needles and syringes scattered over its surface. The situation suddenly felt like a mean joke.

Kyomu's jaw clenched. "W-what? What is that?" He mumbled, eyes wide with confusion as he focused in on the long, pain inflicting needles.

Orochimaru smiled sickly. "Why, since you liked science so much, I thought you might want to be a part of it." In the blink of an eye Orochimaru was right behind Kyomu, his hand cupped over Kyomu's mouth and nose with a cloth. "Don't fight it, it will hurt less." Orochimaru whispered as he held onto the struggling Kyomu, whose body began to slacken within moments.

The betrayal was stupendous, but it was inevitable. Kyomu had seen the signs, and he could have stopped it. He let his desire for a father-figure cloud his judgment, and now he was suddenly victimized. He felt his muscles relax as he inhaled the strange smell on the cloth. His vision went in a flurry, everything melting away until all that was left was darkness.

xXx

Months of painful blackness ensued. It was a lonely blackness filled with only his thoughts. He was sure this was it, this was where it ended. The story of Kyomu Yamada had officially come to a close, or so he strongly believed. At least then he could finally rise up to heaven and be with Kotone and their child, a real family. For what felt like years Kyomu waited in the blackness, waited to see any light and be taken up. Nothing ever happened. He remained in darkness, and in agonizing pain.

Indeed, if it wasn't the thought of being dead without Kotone, it was the poking and prodding that caused him pain. In the world of darkness he could feel everything that happened around and on him. The closing and opening of doors that sent cold breezes his way, making his hair stand up on end. At first he was sedated, just to lay on what he assumed to be the table Orochimaru had unveiled, but after a week or two his limbs were carefully strapped down with what could have been rusted metal. Thus began the experimentation.

Needles were inserted and kept in his body for hours at a time, constantly pushing some heavy substance into his bloodstream. When the needles were removed, Kyomu's body would act on its own accord and writhe in pain as he screamed to the high heavens, only to have his mouth covered by a dog muzzle. His whole body felt like it was on fire from the inside, and the itchy feeling of a fiery death spread to all of his extremities. Finally, when his body was tired he would stop with the violent reactions and just lay there until someone returned and reinserted the needles, starting the process all over again. For days the needle process went on, night and day, until his captor stopped putting the needles in. The side-effects were prominent. Kyomu felt like his whole body was heavier, but resistant.

The resistance of his body was proven when, after laying in darkness for hours wondering if he would finally be spared and killed, something sharp had a tough time piercing over his abdomen. Again he writhed, but the restraints on his limbs were tightened and smaller ones were added. The slicing continued over various parts of his body, what he thought might have been a knife constantly pressured to go deeper and penetrate his newer, thicker skin.

It was pure torture in its evilest form. The acts that were done to him were cruel and vile, all the while done with precision by none other than his mentor, Orochimaru. The man hummed as he sliced and inserted, happily explaining every step in excruciating detail so that the semi-unconscious Kyomu could hear. Occasionally Kabuto would join in on the fun, taking part in the experimentation until he was forced to retreat and continue spreading the word that the village leader's son went missing, likely to have run away.

At one point someone must have felt sorry for Kyomu, for they injected a final liquid that put Kyomu to sleep for good, no longer able to hear or feel what went on. He was left subject to his own subconscious, which was far more torturous than any saw or needle in the world. The only thing he dreamt of was heaven, and the only person he ever saw himself with was Kotone. Two things he began to realize he could never have.

After the very first day of experimentation, time had lost all meaning to not only the unconscious Kyomu, but Orochimaru. The days that became weeks that became months, they only felt like hours to Orochimaru, and centuries to Kyomu. Until finally their different perceptions of time came together and Kyomu began to get feeling in his limbs back, his hearing returning as he drifted back into consciousness. Meticulously control over his own body came back and he slowly tested it out, lifting everything from one finger up at a time to a whole leg. The restraints had been released, and he could push his legs and arms out wherever. He felt the desire to hurt Orochimaru and return the favor of experimentation.

However, as his trembling eyes opened he saw nobody. He was completely alone in the science lab, cold and shirtless. Kyomu pushed himself up to a sitting position on the table but groaned when his chest violently objected. Half-sitting up he ran one hand over his chest, running his finger over the stitches and scratches on his skin. Running that same hand down his arm and to his hand, he came across the black ring, still secured on his finger despite the torture.

Strange…

The sound of footsteps on the stairs swung Kyomu's body into full gear. He flew off of the table, quickly taking the first instrument of torture as a weapon –the first device being the cloth used to suffocate him. Even so, it was still a weapon, and his shaky arms held it up with gusto as he put space between him and the intruder, eventually pushing the bloody table in front of him.

Glasses, gray hair, it was none other than Kabuto who waltzed down the stairs calmly. The young boy looked to Kyomu without emotion, eventually stopping at the foot of the stairs holding something behind his back. "I see you're awake…"

Kyomu spat on the floor in anger. "So I see Orochimaru has to send a child to do his dirty work!" He barked, swinging the towel in front of him as if it made any difference. Either way, he still looked like a madman.

Laughing quietly, Kabuto shook his head. "Put the towel down, Yamada-san. I mean no harm."

Kyomu attempted to back up, but only rammed into the wall. He scowled. "That's not true, you helped him! You helped him try to kill me!" Kyomu screamed, waving the towel around in front of his face in an 'X' pattern. "Why would you do that? You don't even know me!"

"Our intention was never to kill you," Kabuto sternly interjected, "Rather we gave you life, not death." Kabuto pulled his hands from behind his back and held out two small hand mirrors. "There's proof on your body. We made you better, not worse."

The moment Kabuto took a small step forward Kyomu lurched backwards into the wall again, pushing the table out with his wild feet. "STAY BACK!" He ordered, his eyes shifting to other parts of the rooms. He quieted down. "Why isn't Orochimaru down here? Where's he?"

Kabuto respected the wishes and took a step backwards in response. "Orochimaru is out on work again, we didn't expect you to wake up just yet. I was coming down here to prepare, and make things a little…nicer…" His eyes were directed at the bloody blanket covering the table. He grimaced. Slowly Kabuto began approaching again, and at this new information Kyomu seemed more inclined to let him. "Let me just show you what we gave you. Here." He held one mirror out to Kyomu. Hesitantly, the man reached forward and held the mirror in his hand before snapping it back to his chest. Kabuto instructed Kyomu to hold the mirror behind his shoulder, which he did, while he held the other out in front of Kyomu's face.

Kyomu couldn't believe what he was seeing on his shoulder through the mirror. He was astonished, and felt cheated. "All this torture…all the pain…for a tattoo?" The shape was strange, a large dot with several intricate drawings intertwined inside of it. It was black, and very noticeable. He was sure his father would hate it. Yet, the longer he looked at it, something inside of him responded positively. A side of him buried deep that was unknown to him, was applauding him for the tattoo.

"Not a tattoo, no." Kabuto spat venomously, possibly offended by his handiwork. "It's a seal. We call it the Oblivion Seal. It makes you stronger, enhances your chakra. If you think you were powerful _before_," he entered in a small chuckle, "well, let's just say that was nothing in comparison to this. You're stronger, faster, and your chakra reserves have doubled. The Oblivion Seal was a success."

Biting his lip, Kyomu took a second look at the seal. Suddenly it seemed a lot more sentimental. "But why didn't you just tell me what you were going to do, why drug me?" Kyomu asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, you wouldn't willingly let us invade your personal space like that even if you knew. It was better to do it without warning, and then simply let you see the results for yourself." Kabuto explained. His face might have been a blank slate, but his eyes seemed proud. The truth was there was a chance the procedure would have killed Kyomu, but he wasn't about to tell the young male that. "You're meant for greater things, this village has been holding you back. Orochimaru handpicked you for this, you know."

An upper-lip twitch later, Kyomu was in hysterics. "What if I didn't want to be handpicked?" He violently threw the mirror and towel down, watching as the mirror's glass broke into tiny pieces.

"Oh, but you did, my dear friend."

Orochimaru entered the room from the stairs as well, striding past Kabuto and to Kyomu's side. Instinctively Kyomu stumbled back, but his shoulders were suddenly clutched by Orochimaru as the crazy bastard forced Kyomu to take a good look at the lab.

"Science! You love science, and now you are science!" Orochimaru exclaimed. "You've even risen above science! Can't you see, you have the power now. The villagers that dislike you, the father that doesn't respect you, you're above them." Orochimaru turned Kyomu's trembling body to face him. "Follow me, be my apprentice and we will rule them all!"

For a moment there was silence where Orochimaru examined Kyomu's frightened reaction and merely smiled, as if everything was going exactly as planned. Then, however, the man shrugged it all off. "We'll give you some time to think about, weigh your options and all. Just as a fair warning, you probably won't like what you return to." Orochimaru stated, quickly disappearing up the stairs and likely out of the building before Kyomu had even opened his mouth.

There was no way in hell Kyomu would team up with his torturers, even if they gave him power and strength. Growling in a frustration he was unaware he possessed; Kyomu retrieved his shirt from below the countertop and put it on as he stormed up the stairs. He was positive he'd find a way to demonstrate what had been done to him through force, make Orochimaru realize that he would never have Kyomu as an apprentice.

Yet there was a disturbing feeling that spread through his body, the origin of it coming from his right index finger. Emerging in the midst of his anger, he felt acceptance. It was true, Orochimaru and Kabuto were the only two people who he felt enjoyed his company, and in an odd, sadistic way they felt like family. The type of family he might possibly go through great lengths to protect, and all of this came from the victim of torture wearing a black ring.

Kyomu tried to put all he anxiety behind him as he strode out and away. He left Orochimaru's little hovel of a home quickly, staying there any longer would be too dangerous, as Orochimaru could come back any moment. Kyomu was in a hurry to get to the village, which he found quickly.

The night was young and exciting in the village. Generally Kyomu went unnoticed, but he didn't mind. He was confident that would all change soon. If what the white-skinned creep said was true, then he was stronger, strong enough to replace his father as village leader and head of the secret family genjutsu. This was what he was raised to do…it was his destiny, or so he thought.

Walking through the village he noted the paper lanterns hung on strings, and the celebratory outfits many were wearing. It was a festival day, one of the perfect days for Kyomu to make his return. The question was…what festival?

He approached an aging lady holding out paper lanterns and took one, asking, "What festival is this?"

The woman gawked at his words. "You must have grown up under a rock, young man. This is the anniversary of the creation of Himitsu Village. Take this paper lantern and celebrate it!" She paid no mention to Kyomu's confused look or his blank expression as she pushed a lantern into his hand, turning her attention to other villagers wandering around.

Kyomu didn't understand, the festival wasn't until a while! Orochimaru's words echoed throughout his head:

"_You won't like what you return to…"_

What was that supposed to mean, anyways? Everything looked normal, and he could have been wrong about the festival, as Kyomu was horrible when it came to remembering dates.

Kyomu shook off his curiosity and moved onward, he had to find his father, which was his top priority. He knew that his father probably wouldn't attend the festival –as he didn't like celebration or showing any joy- and therefore must be at home. Lucky for Kyomu, he knew a shortcut through the local graveyard to get to home. The graveyard was a small one, as most of the people who died of no worth or money were put out on rafts and sent to float along on the outside waters forever. As it was so small, the rest of the village surrounded it with houses and business; people in Himitsu weren't afraid of old superstitions. As he wandered through the graveyard, he came across an unlikely person, his father.

Yonju Yamada was there as well, surrounded by a group of his close village associates as several other men (that appeared to be workers) dug up some graves. Kyomu waved to his father, who was taken back with the sudden appearance of his missing son.

It wasn't until he reached his father that he took the time to look at the graves they were digging up more closely. There were three total, two of people he knew as a child. The third was one he would've never anticipated; the grave of his own loving mother, being brutally disrespected and brought back up.

A cold sweat broke out over Kyomu's skin. "What the hell?" He sputtered; He rushed forward and pulled the shovel from one of the worker's grasp. When the man resisted, Kyomu violently pushed him back, unknowingly dropping his paper lantern on the dry grass. "What the _hell_?" He repeated, this time on the verge of tears. "You're digging up her grave? I thought you loved her!"

Yonju's eyes were wide at his son. "I…I didn't think you'd return…ever."

"Well I did! I'm back!" Kyomu fell to his knees near the dug-out hole, they were getting so close to his mother's remains. "I came back…" He mumbled sadly, head hung. His fingers dug into the dirt, a specific finger pulsing with anger. The ring…was it whispering to him? He heard a hiss in the back of his head.

The hiss uttered no words, it was only a noise he could hear, and it brought on a terrible sensation of anger and hate in him. It strengthened all the negative things Kyomu felt.

The male quickly stood up from his spot on the ground. Without warning he kicked the paper lantern he had dropped with such a force that it flew through the air, landing on the dry-thatched roof of some poor fellow's house yards away. Those near began to smell the smoke before the roof was finally ignited by a small flame. Yonju's men all jumped, most of them rushing to the building to control the small fire on it's roof.

The heat from those small flames was empowering, and Kyomu grinned, ever so slightly, before he returned to sadness and approached his father. "Didn't you care for her? At all? Even like a little bit?"

Yonju looked to his son with a silent form of judgment. The aging man glanced at the home to the side, which was now blazing with fire on its roof. Pretty soon that would change, and it would engulf the walls, and the inside.

Ashamed, Yonju refused to make eye-contact. "You're not my son." He pointed out.

Kyomu choked on his surprise. "What?" Kyomu questioned emotionally, "I'm your son! I'm Kyomu Yamamda!" The male put his hands on his father's shoulders, desperately hanging on for any sort of recognition.

"No." Yonju responded gravely. "My son wouldn't set a fire because of some _woman_."

Lips trembling, Kyomu hung his head yet again. He couldn't utter another word. Was this it, then? Was this the last of his life there in Himitsu? It hurt him to think that his father never even felt any sort of love for his mother, who had been there all those years in spite of everything.

Weakly, Kyomu mumbled. "She was a good woman…you didn't deserve her."

Violently Yonju smacked Kyomu's hands off of his shoulders. "She was a servant to our cause."

The sudden offensive action sparked something in Kyomu he couldn't understand, and the murmuring hiss in the back of his head grew stronger. Without reason he carelessly pushed his father backwards. "What cause would that be, then?" He hissed.

Yonju was aghast with disgrace. "Don't talk to me li-"

Again Yonju was pushed, but this time with such a force that he fell to the ground. "_What cause_?" Kyomu repeatedly angrily, his voice shaking from the waves of anger and depression he felt.

Something in the Yamada clan made the men proud creatures, a trait so potent in Yonju. The man refused to answer his son, and as he lay there on the dirt, his elbows keeping him to a half-sitting position, he said nothing. This person he saw before him was in no way his son, and to show it the man sat up and spat at Kyomu's feet.

The action incited a burning fury in Kyomu, and the hissing noise became more of an alarm directing him down a spiraling path of hate. Kyomu walked over to his father, stood above the man, and bashed the cruel man's head in with his own foot…or at least he thought he had done it, but right before the foot made contact Yonju's body dispersed into several little pieces.

"_Himitsu_," Kyomu responded. He turned behind him, to see his father standing upright, completely unharmed. "Don't try to trick me with your fancy genjutsu!" Kyomu barked, running forward to grasp the man's throat in his hands. Yet again Yonju managed to disperse, apparently just another clone illusion. "Dammit father!"

Kyomu turned in circles, looking every which way for his real father. He paid no mind to the blazing fire on the house, far stronger than anyone could have predicted. No, Kyomu didn't care about that. He cared about finding his father…to find and to kill. Just thinking about killing his father made him giddy, happy even. The voice inside of his head applauded his barbarity.

He caught wind of his father's chakra. Orochimaru wasn't lying when he claimed he had made Kyomu stronger. He could feel _everything_. It was like being on a drug without all of the repercussions. Every dust and dirt particle under his feet could be felt, and he could sense the chakra of every living being within a hundred mile radius. If it was like this in the beginning, he could only imagine how much better it could be in training.

The new sensation of the accursed "Oblivion Seal" distracted Kyomu somewhat, thus leaving him unprepared for his father's strike. Yonju came out of nowhere, bearing towards his son with disciplinary intent in mind, a shuriken in his hand. He planned to return to the old days, teach his son a lesson through violence. But as Kyomu realized this, it was too late. He swiftly turned around to face his father's angry face and the blade comes down upon him.

And he closed his eyes.

Kyomu waited in the darkness of his mind for the horrible and painful stabbing that would, and should ensue. He waited for far too long, he thought. Had his father gone through with it, Kyomu would have felt something by now. Anything. The male risked a glance, slowly opening a single eye, unable to fully process what had just happened until he saw it.

Yonju Yamada laid face-first on the dirt in a slowly growing pool of his own blood, a kunai sticking out from his back. And above the defeated, stood the last person Kyomu had wanted to see. Orochimaru knelt down beside to the body to wipe his hands on the dirt, looking up at Kyomu's shocked face as he did so.

"Wha-" Kyomu stuttered, looking from the form of his deceased father to his killer and back. He wasn't sure how he felt about what had just happened. But one thing was for certain, Kyomu wasn't sad. He could never mourn his father as a family member, the father who tortured him all those years and only ever cared about his "duty" to Himitsu. The hissing in the back of Kyomu's head quieted down, allowing him to process the sudden feeling of gratitude he felt. Orochimaru had saved him for the horrid man below, without a word even being spoken.

Then it hit Kyomu. The father lying dead on the ground wasn't his soul father. Through the latter part of those years after his mother had passed, all he had was Orochimaru. Albeit he didn't know the man's true intentions, he was still there. Always listening, and helping without expecting anything more from Kyomu but to be the recipient of the Oblivion Seal… Orochimaru had bestowed him with a great power. This frightening man was his true father, at least in the most emotional sense of the word.

Orochimaru rested his hand on the kunai handle, slowly pulling it out from the body as he stood up to face Kyomu. "We're family now," he smile took on a deceitful grin, one the impressionable Kyomu was blind to, "and family sticks together."

Gently handing the bloody kunai over to Kyomu, Orochimaru assisted in curling his fingers over the handle until it was in his grasp. Orochimaru stepped over the body, appearing at Kyomu's side and turning him to face the destruction of the fiery building yards away.

Kyomu's eyes reflected the flames, licking up towards the sky, and he was mesmerized. His ring-finger was tingling with giddiness that he could not explain. For whatever reason, this all felt so right and just. The death of his father was the first of many good things to come, that began with the fire.

Orochimaru leaned in to Kyomu's ear and whispered, "It's time to finish what you've started." He then took a step away from Kyomu, nodded his head, and walked into the distance… Leaving Kyomu with the kunai in one hand, and the ring on the other, gazing into the flames that were only sure to grow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: It's been months, and I realize that. There's no excuse for me leaving you guys waiting like that, and I am so incredibly sorry. I haven't been very focused, but there are no excuses for me. All I can do is apologize. As a courtesy to my readers I did not send this in to my beta-reader, but edited it myself with the assistance of my sister. I'm sorry sendicard, but I was too eager to get this out to the public and didn't want to wait another few days to a week. I'm fairly impatient…

However, now that we've finally finished Kyomu's means I can get back to writing the plot. There's a reason I made this two chapters and not one, and it wasn't just for length. Things mentioned in this chapter tie in with the conclusion of the story and the cliffhanger I might leave you with. Lucky for you folks I've already written ahead some, so I won't be as overloaded in the future chapter as I was with this chapter.

- Dahlia


	28. Reconciliation

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or Bleach. The rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Kubo Tite respectively.

**So, recently I've been getting flames from anonymous reviewers, and here's what I have to say to that: I don't freaking care what you think, you don't have the decency to insult me and call my writing bullshit under your _own username_. You can all just kiss my ass. Do us all a favor and just don't comment or spam my inbox with hate if you have something bad to say, or better yet, DON'T READ.**

**Oh, and I've explained the Shinigami and Shinobi difference many, _many _times, and I could explain it to you more if you left a review under your _actual_ username. But for the last time: _Ichigo is not on his own turf, therefore he has been weakened._ So no more questions about it please. Anymore will be promptly ignored.**

**Anyways, I'm sorry for starting the chapter off on a bad note. A nicer, more pleasant author's note will be at the bottom. Also, this chapter will be Sakura-centric, sorry about that. I just don't feel like writing it any other way.**

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><p>Tsunade had seen and heard many things in her lifetime. She was the granddaughter of the Shodai Hokage, one of the three legendary Sannin. Tsunade had punished perverts, climbed mountains, fought horrific beasts in the Second Shinobi World War, and lost two of her most beloved friends and allies to the title of Hokage. Her life was rich with saddening experiences of triumph as well as loss, and she thought she had seen it all.<p>

That day, however, she realized she was wrong. Tsunade had yet to see everything, and Kyomu was the reason. He angered her, and made her feel pity for him all at the same time. She listened to his story, filled with grief and deception, her mind racing with questions to ask but no words to say it. He perplexed her. How could man who had been through that, and hurt so many people be sitting in front of her, crying out his heart and soul in bubbly snot-filled tears?

Tsunade currently sat back in her seat, holding out a box of tissues for Kyomu to raid as he laid his head down, finally down expressing the tale of his sad life. From the way he made everything sound, past to present, she would have expected a more evil person. The Kyomu she saw before her was merely misunderstood, not a murderer… Still, he was technically a criminal, and for crimes committed against humanity he had to be locked up.

The womanly Hokage sighed, pushing back her chair to stand up. "I'm afraid we're done here, Yamada-san." She told him as he looked up from his hunched position. In response he nodded, a weak nod of a victim.

Locking him up just didn't _feel _right. To ease her troubles as she walked towards the door, flanked by two guards, she reviewed Kyomu's story. His heritage, Himitsu, his strange powers and the legend of Kuro Hone (which for some reason sounded oddly familiar); she re-looked over it all.

It was only when she had made it to the door with her hand hovering above the knob that she froze, brows furrowed in the most passionate way. "Wait," she mumbled, swiftly turning around to face the sad heap of a man sitting at the table. The guards were so shocked they stumbled backwards, but she paid no mind to them. Kyomu looked up to the woman as she stormed back to the side of the table, putting both hands on it as she leaned over.

"Where's the ring?"

Kyomu's face fell, he didn't expect to be ask about the ring. "…the ring? Orochimaru's ring?" Now that he thought about it, he wasn't quite sure.

"Yes! The ring!" Tsunade repeated, slamming her hands down on the table out of frustration. It was just a hunch, but… "Yamada-san, that ring has significance. Don't you see? Why would Orochimaru give you a ring?"

Kyomu blinked, defensively responding, "Uh, I-I don't kno-ow."

The woman ran a hand over her face…that ring was the key. She wasn't sure what significance the ring had yet, but there was something there. Orochimaru wasn't one to give physical gifts like that, especially ones that he reportedly wore for most of his existence. So why give it to Kyomu, of all people? And why at the time that he did?

No matter how much pity Tsunade felt for Kyomu, she was prepared to grill him to find the answers she was looking for. The woman leaned over the table, getting up close and person to Kyomu, who looked taken back. She merely searched his eyes in an angered fashion.

"Think, you crazy bastard. Think!" She hissed at him, her hands clenching into tight fists. "What do you remember about that ring? What was it made of? I need details!"

The man was shaken up, literally and mentally as he tried to meet the man woman's demands. "Uh…well…" He barely spoke. Under so much pressure Kyomu was unable to come up with anything, though there was formidable evidence in his past, and his feelings, to suggest that she was right. Her hunch about the ring was on the right track. He glanced down to his hand where the ring once was as if it would stir up some feeling. He found nothing but fear, fear of what the scary woman might do to him if he couldn't come up with something.

xXx

Sakura thought that by ending things with Ichigo she was doing the right thing. But for who was it right? And why did it feel so bad? She had numerous unanswered questions whizzing around her head that day as she walked to Tsunade's rebuilt tower. There was a pain in her chest, and a guilt feeling rising in her stomach. Her mentor, Tsunade, was usually a great person to talk to about these things. She knew she could find the answers there with Tsunade, that is _after _she reported what happened during the Rescue Mission.

In a blind haze she entered the premises. She passed a few Jounin and village officials on her way, but those knew her and waved her ignored. It wasn't intentional; the pinkette was merely trying to decipher her questions. She doubted her decision, and felt as if she had highly over exaggerated the whole thing. Besides, Naruto had a demon inside of him, too, and look how close she was to him!

She had been so engrossed in her thoughts that by then she'd stopped walking, and was standing against the wall. A door up the hall was pushed open, and her eyes snapped up. She recognized that figure, once evil. His black hair, gloves, and that horrible lab coat; Kyomu, flanked by two ANBU was being led down the halls, probably to be locked up. On his way he passed Sakura. He didn't look like an evildoer. His head was hung, and his arms limp behind his back. Kyomu looked like a _victim. _

She looked back to the door as it slowly came to a close, when it stopped halfway and was pushed open again. This time Tsunade exited the room, and walked the opposite direction. Sakura jumped into action, hurrying after her mentor.

"Tsunade-sama!" She called lightly, soon enough reaching it to her sensei's side. The woman in question stopped abruptly and turned, sending a stern look Sakura's way… That was, odd to say the least. Tsunade wasn't always a happy-camper when Sakura came to report, but she usually didn't appear so bothered.

"What?" She barked, giving Sakura a once-over before she began her quickened stride again. As expected, Sakura trailed behind.

Sighing, Sakura answered, "I'm here to give my report, you asked for it in person."

Tsunade sent a brief glance Sakura's way, looking a little surprised. She furrowed her brows. "Yes…I guess I did." She responded.

Sakura did her best to follow after Tsunade, awaited an answer, when all she got was silence. Obviously something had happened in that room with Kyomu. Tsunade must have discovered something. Even so, Sakura's curiosity wasn't worth setting Tsunade off the edge. She had to be weary, if she spoke out of turn she could be skating on thin ice.

Still having not received her answer, Sakura rushed to block Tsunade's path, a bold move on her part. "Well?" The pinkette inquired, crossing her arms as she rose her eyebrows.

Tsunade exhaled deeply, stopping to look at her prodigy. "That's fine, but I've got business, Sakura." She said, eyes narrowing as she looked at Sakura more closely. "Besides, you seem too distracted." With that she walked around Sakura's stunned form and onward.

The chuunin huffed. "I'mdistracted?!" She questioned, abruptly turning on her heel to follow Tsunade.

"Yes," Tsunade answered hastily.

"I am notdistracted, Tsunade-sama...I mean, I might be a little distracted, but that's-"

"Not the point?" Tsunade finished, raising a brow as they made it to her office. She stepped in, grumbling at the fresh pile of paperwork awaiting her on the desk.

This was going nowhere, it was obvious to Sakura. As Tsunade went to stand and eventually sit behind her desk, Sakura walked up to its front and stationed herself there. "I know this isn't a good time, but if I didn't report I'd be slacking."

Now irritated, the blonde woman took a heavy breath, slapping both hands on her desk. "Sakura, you're not worried about the report, you're just procrastinating. Obviously something happened on that mission, and I do want to hear about it in your report, but not _now._" With one fluid gesture she motioned to the papers on her desk.

Looking to her disappointed pupil, the woman sighed and continued. "Find Naruto, or have someone else report to me," she lightly placed her hand on Sakura's shoulder, "you need the time to straighten whatever's going on out."

Sakura didn't know what to say, or what to think for that matter. She hadn't thought her problems would be so obvious, but apparently they were written all over her face. She blinked, slowly kicking her body into action as she backed away from the desk, lost in thought. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama," she barely managed to utter.

With a hint of the smile, Tsunade pointed towards the door. "Now get out of my office."

The pinkette nodded and politely bowed, still backing towards the door until it was at arm's length. She pulled it open and escaped, hurrying down the hallway. Tsunade had made her realize something, or maybe she had already known it, but either way it hit her: she couldn't focus because of Ichigo and her reminiscent feelings towards him. The only way to regroup her thoughts was via a direct confrontation, but even Sakura wasn't sure if she could handle one.

Even so, she needed to find Ichigo, even if it meant not talking to him and just watching from afar. The face of that demon inside of her frightened her, it was a soulless beast, but it wasn't just a beast. There was a part of Ichigo in it, there had to be. If there wasn't he would have massacred everyone including herself. There shouldn't have been anything to fear.

Demon or not, that didn't mean she should cut off her ties to Ichigo. Look at Naruto, the Kyuubi had put her on edge for some time, but after that they'd become _closer_. The Kyuubi and the Hollow weren't that different, really. Naruto was even learning how to control the Kyuubi, why couldn't Ichigo learn from that and do it too?

As she exited the building, Sakura's skin paled as she realized her mistake. Not only that, but there was the chance Ichigo might never want to see her again. That thought frightened her more than the yellow-eyed beast inside of Ichigo.

Sakura didn't notice the approaching figure until he was right in front of her. Her eyes were downcast from the growing anxiety within her when she saw a pair of feet. Curiously she followed the feet upwards, and towards the whiskered cheeks of her closest friend. She sighed in relief, despite how he looked at her, perplexed.

"Something the matter, Sakura-chan?" He asked, eyes suddenly widening when he continued, "Kyomu hasn't escaped, has he?"

It was refreshing to hear Naruto's voice. "No, I don't think we have to worry about Kyomu anymore." She advised him, but when he gave her a peculiar look she didn't continue on explaining.

"Then what is it?" He asked again, playing with an object in his hands Sakura hadn't noticed before. Her eyes were caught on its glint in the sunlight, and its dark, circular figure.

She pointed to the object. "Is that the ring? The one that we took off Kyomu?" She asked.

Naruto nodded somberly. "Uh huh. But I don't know what it is about this ring… It keeps, _talking _to me." He told her, quickly shaking his head in denial. "I'm sure I was just imagining that, but this ring still gives me the creeps. I figured I'd just hand it over to Tsunade."

Sakura narrowed her eyes speculatively, tightening her arms over her chest. She believed Naruto when he said it talked to him, and she honored him for doing the right thing and giving it to Tsunade, but she wasn't sure if that was the best thing to do. If it talked to Naruto, then it might also talk to Kyomu, who was in same building as their esteemed Hokage. Nonetheless, she devoted her trust to Tsunade, and was sure she could handle having the little black ring in her custody.

"Well, that's smart I guess." She responded affirmatively.

There was a pregnant silence between the two, where Naruto shuffled his feet and Sakura brushed her hair out of her face. They were both busy and preoccupied with other ideals, but didn't quite know how to tell the other that. Even so, Naruto managed to break the silence.

"I hope you fix whatever's bothering you," Naruto murmured, looking at the ring one last time before stuffing it in his pocket. He looked back up to her surprised face. "But if it helps, I'm sure that whatever happened, you did the right thing."

Quickly shaking her head, Sakura denied it. "No, Naruto I made a big mistake…I've got to go." She quickly told him as she side-stepped him.

Naruto turned and watched her hurry off. "Well, good luck!" He called after her.

The encounters she'd been having that day made her antsy. Naruto and Tsunade seemed to think that the thing that was "bothering" her wasn't her fault, and as much as she would have liked to say that, it was untrue. It was her words that severed her link to Ichigo, which arose all of these unpleasant feelings in her chest. She was fully responsible for her predicament.

Negative thoughts had to be pushed aside as the pinkette rushed away, letting her feet take her who knows where. She didn't know where Ichigo would be, and had all of Konoha to search. She wouldn't be surprised if Ichigo ended up being in the last place she looked.

Unfortunately, she never got to search for him. She happened to cross paths with the hospital. She would have made it away from the building without objection, had it not been for the overworked nurse pacing in front of the hospital doors. One look at the woman and Sakura knew her work as a Medical shinobi was far more important than her apology to Ichigo. Besides, now that she thought about it, she didn't even know what she would say to him once she saw him. Perhaps a little soothing medical work might trigger something.

xXx

Unlike Sakura, Ichigo knew what he wanted to say. At first, he let Sakura walk away without the intention of stopping her. "This is better for the both of us," he'd regrettably told himself. That, however, was before he finally opened up to Rukia about what had transpired. Rukia, who was like a sister to him, was more than helpful. Even if he hadn't a clue what would result, he knew what he had to say.

Rukia wasn't the only one who gave some assistance. Surprisingly, Naruto had helped also. Ichigo knew that it was the last thing the blonde wanted to do, as Naruto had frequently reminded him of that. Nonetheless, the shinobi had been around Sakura since they were little children. The teen knew something about Sakura that Ichigo didn't: she was very forgiving, and also seemed a bit off lately. 'A bit off' opened up many doors for Ichigo. She could be unnerved by anything, and he took a chance in assuming it was because of how they'd split.

He set out that day in search of Sakura, but the girl was harder to find than he expected. He started at her place of work, the hospital, but came up with nothing. He traveled in circles through Konoha, his direction determined by the words of whoever claimed to see her last. Either there were more girls with pink hair in the village, or Sakura was moving around _fast_. It felt like she was avoiding him, which after a while he convinced himself that it was preposterous; she didn't even know he was looking for her.

Ichigo ended up right back where he started. The last place Sakura was seen was near the Hospital. Sighing, the shinigami approached the building. It had to be a joke…but he couldn't just dismiss it, the possibility was still too great. After all, he'd been getting directions from Konoha's finest, as they were the only ones who could see him in his shikai.

Entering the building, it was pretty hectic near the lobby. People, a mixture of medical staff and volunteers hustled about, leaving the front desk bare. Nobody questioned what he was doing there. Surprisingly it was Ichigo's first time in Konoha's hospital. Although he had asked to see it before in case of any injury on his part, Sakura had never taken him to it. "It's filled with death and despair," she had told him. Now looking at it, he didn't really feel the sadness she was talking about. Yes, people were busy tending to the injured, but he didn't feel much "death". Then again, whose to say he was the greatest judge. Shinigami or not, he'd never thought death was something you could sense.

Shrugging the thoughts off, he wandered down the first hallway he saw, which ended up leading to the East Wing. Slowly he sauntered by, peeking through open doors and any screens he could. Most of the time his eyes were greeted by a sleeping patient or an empty room, but there were the occasional grueling sights he couldn't stand to see. He wasn't usually squeamish, but shinobi had some downright funky treatments.

There was one sight, where a shinobi's back had been broken so severely he looked like a bent ruler that sent Ichigo the other way. Instead of focusing on his search, he stopped and walked to the end of the hallway where there were windows. On the other side was a courtyard in the middle of the hospital, filled with a pleasant little garden. Past the courtyard were windows leading to other wings of the hospital. Exiting through a door on the West Wing, an older woman, accompanied by a staff member, waltzed onto the pleasant scene before them. Had he not been looking at the door that closed behind the woman, he never would have noticed the head of pink hair that entered that hallway, walking towards the South Wing.

Ichigo nearly choked on his surprise. After all this time, he had finally spotted her! He was quick to react, jumping away from the windows and down the corridor; he planned to meet Sakura head on at the South Wing, which is to say if she didn't abruptly turn away at the sight of him.

He pushed past suspicious nurses and through many doors before he finally made it to the South Wing, which was no different than the other hospital wings. He entered just as Sakura was leaving, walking into a patient's room. Slowly, he approached the door, his back against the wall secretively. He didn't want her to notice him just yet.

Like all other doors there it had a square window that was high above the average height for a Konoha citizen. Though Ichigo, being a head or two taller than the average, was able to stand before the door and look in.

It was in fact Sakura, standing with her back to him. In front of her was a young bedridden boy. The boy had scruffy brown hair, and unbelievably thick eyebrows. He reminded Ichigo of a shinobi he had met before but couldn't remember the name of. Even so, the sickly boy didn't look unhappy. In fact, he looked _very _happy at whatever news Sakura was giving him. The door, being left open slightly, allowed Ichigo to hear bits of the conversation.

"It's good to hear you're doing better, Hiro-san." Sakura said. Hearing her voice again was priceless to Ichigo. He'd been missing the soft tone and the calming volume of it.

The boy said something too quiet for Ichigo to hear, but then burst out. "…but I'm still really happy. Mom and Dad would want me to be happy, I think." Carefully Hiro's voice quieted, and he looked down to his feet at the end of his bed.

Sakura nodded, moving her hands to place something she had been holding against her chest on Hiro's bedside table. "He'd want you to have this," Sakura commented, tilting her head to the side. Whether or not she was smiling, Ichigo couldn't tell, but it certainly felt like it. Ichigo glanced to the object, and how its metal gleamed against the artificial lighting. It was a headband, like the ones he'd seen on the heads, waists, and arms of every last shinobi he'd met. Only this one wasn't like the others in a sense, the ends of its ribbon were frayed, and the metal itself was cracked in many places. Almost as if it had been smashed.

The boy took the object from the table glumly, gazing at it. Unfortunately Ichigo wouldn't see anymore, as Sakura was already turning around. Scrambling, Ichigo quickly turned away from the door, taking place against a wall. When that felt even too close, he scooted further down the hall. He didn't want Sakura to see he'd been looking in, her visit with the boy looked like a personal matter.

The pinkette exited the room, but surprisingly did not turn his way. Her destination was the opposite direction, which she strode towards after shutting Hiro's door. Ichigo's shoulders fell.

"Sakura," he called, taking a step away from the wall.

The woman in question turned. It was at that moment that Ichigo forgot every carefully worded apology he had prepared. Everything Rukia had assured and Naruto said were lost to him, in one ear and out the other. Just seeing her again was like overdrive for his emotions. He was happy, sure, but he was also reminded of when she'd dumped him. With her in this narrow hallway was so much like that day, in that narrow alley where she'd attempted to leave his life for good. He felt somewhat spiteful. Happy to see her again, but angry that not only had it taken so long but that the things that happened between them still stood unaffected.

Looking into her eyes he felt ashamed. She was looking at him like she had inside Kyomu's hideout, bewildered and frightened by his hollow form. She could probably still see it, the monster. That thought was almost enough to turn Ichigo away; _almost_. He'd come there to fix things between them, and he wasn't about to throw that away.

The shinigami put his chin up and walked towards Sakura. To his surprise, she walked forward as well, the two approaching each other in a teeth-grinding slowness. They didn't very close, but person stopped when they were a yard or two apart. It was still close enough to hear her voice, and that was all Ichigo wanted. Then again, he couldn't be sure; she hadn't said anything yet.

And she wasn't about to say anything, in fact, which left the two of them at an awkward impasse. Ichigo had forgotten all of his carefully coached phrases and words, things he had spent hours thinking on. But now that he was finally in the moment, his cue cards were blank. All he could think to comment on was what he had just witnessed.

"Who's the boy?" Ichigo asked after a lengthy silence, before he quickly corrected. "Only if you want to tell me, that is."

Sakura was rubbing her collarbone, ears perking at the question. "Huh, what? You mean Hiro?" She stumbled, taking her hands and folding them at her front. She nodded her head towards the door, eyes wandering anywhere but Ichigo's face. When he nodded, she sighed. "Hiro is a family friend. His older brother was in the same squad as mine." She crossed her arms, aimlessly gazing towards the courtyard.

So it was personal. Ichigo nodded, never looking away. Although it was hard not to follow suit and avoid her eyes like she did his, one of them needed to act as if things were okay, or going to be at least.

She went on about Hiro without Ichigo asking. "When Pein attacked Konoha, uh…well Hiro and his brother were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hiro's still recovering from it."

"And his brother?" Ichigo inquired. It was at that moment Sakura looked into his eyes, but not quite the way he wanted her to. Her eyes were sad, even if it was ever so slight. There was no need to ask anymore. From the way she looked to him, it was obvious, Hiro's brother had passed. Which meant that the hitai-ate she had given Hiro's must have been his brother's... It was hard to image how horribly someone would crush a man to get his headband to look so deformed.

The sad topic was obviously the last thing Ichigo wanted to talk about, he felt as if it was sending him back further. He wanted to end this conversation on a happy note, not one filled with painful memories and misty eyes.

"I've been looking for you." Ichigo said. Sakura loosened up when he said it, her hands falling to her sides. If he had to assume, he'd say she'd been looking for him too. But it was only a hunch.

Suddenly she looked around the corridor nervously, without warning walking forward and taking Ichigo's hand. "Let's talk about this outside," she told him, leading him down the hallway. Ichigo didn't mind being controlled, not when she was suddenly so close and it wasn't to Tsunade-strike him to a wall.

She led him out the nearest exit and behind the building, where there was a small patch of grass before a stone fence. She let go of his hand then, stepping back. This time she was the one blocking the only obvious escape. Ichigo was curious why she brought him there, and they couldn't just talk about it in the hospital. Whatever she had to say, she didn't want anybody to hear.

She took a breath in, calming saying, "I've been, or I was looking for you, too." She told him, brushing her hair back exhaustedly. "But there was work to do here so-"

"I understand its okay. I still found you," he told her.

Sakura shook her head. "No," she briskly said, starting to teeter in her spot anxiously, "it's not okay. I shouldn't have just stopped looking for you, not when there's a lot we need to talk about." She stressed the words 'a lot' eerily. Her tone was rushed; far different from the calm and unbiased tone she gave Hiro. It put Ichigo on edge.

She stopped her pace to point a finger at Ichigo accusingly. "You betrayed my trust." She stated.

Ichigo's face fell. "I know, and I'm s-"

"Let me finish." She interrupted, raising her palm out to stop him. "You betrayed my trust, and I should be so angry. I have every right to be angry. And I was angry, believe me. When we got back it was hard to look at you, because when I did I saw two of you. The Ichigo who I talked about_ feelings _with, and the Ichigo who lied and turned into a brutish beastly-looking, well, thing!" She put her hands on her hips, looking down to the ground dejectedly and in thought.

There was silence, and Ichigo soaked it in. He was somewhat offended. He had never intended to lie about his Vizored status, but then again he never expected to use it. How could she blame him for something he couldn't control? He wanted to tell her that, and came close to doing so when she continued.

"I thought separating me from you would solve everything. I was hurt," she explained, suddenly looking back up to the orange-haired teen with wide, shiny eyes. "The last time someone kept something so big from me, deceived me and expected me to understand… They _died_. I never even got the chance to ask why."

"Avoiding everything doesn't make it better," Ichigo cut in, still somewhat on the defense from her words. "You didn't even give me a chance to explain. You just up and left! What did you think would happen? Did you think everything would just solve itself, and you'd never have to face me again?!" He took an angry step closer, cutting at the air with his hands.

"No, no!" She barked back. "That's the last thing I thought, or wanted. And can you blame me for leaving so quickly? It was clear to me that you're an unstable person, like Naruto was. You could explode at any moment, at any time, and put everyone I love in danger."

His shoulders fell as he leaned back, frustrated. "Well then, I'm sorry if the one thing I can't control has to come between us. I honestly thought you would give me the benefit of the doubt!"

Flabbergasted, the fiery female's nostrils flared. "I _have_ been giving you the benefit of the doubt. I'm in a position where I could've had you taken far away from Konoha, my friends and family! I would've been so easy." She narrowed his eyes.

She wasn't about to let him say much more, it seemed. Sakura continued, fumingly, "but I didn't. I was, and am still, really confused about what I saw. I still trust you, Kurosaki Ichigo. I've been trusting you, at first it was for you to leave me alone and give me space-"

"Right because that solves everything," Ichigo mocked offensively.

She ground her teeth, hands clenching into fists. "You don't understand how hard it's been for me to make sense of things, but…" Her voice lowered, her body relaxing. "I've started to realize that things can't go back to normal, and that I don't want them to. Even if it's probably better for our safety, I can't forget about you."

Ichigo quirked an eyebrow, this suddenly felt more like a confession than it did a snowballing argument. "What are you trying to say?" He asked, realizing then that the two of them had slowly scooted closer during their fiery exchange. They were less than an arm's length away.

"I don't know what it is, but I'm helpless without you, Ichigo." Sakura told him. Embarrassed the female looked to her feet.

He didn't know how to feel. He was certainly incredibly happy to hear that, but also unnerved. "Don't be helpless," he told her glumly. He felt the same way, but couldn't tell her. Telling her would make things more complicated. Lately he'd been having the growing feeling that his time here was coming to a close.

"I can't help it." Sakura stated, lightly laughing at herself. She looked up to Ichigo, closing the distance between them to place her hands on his chest softly. "I know we disagree, and we fight. We both have issues; we're probably a dangerous combination, now that I think about it."

He smiled at her, snickering softly in response. "I know, Sakura. You're all I think about now…I went looking for you so I could tell you that. I don't know if this means you forgive me for lying to you."

She nodded. "Only if you forgive me for abandoning you like that." She paused, stepping back to playfully punch his shoulder. "But don't do it again."

He crossed his index over his heart. "I swear to it." He told her. Ichigo enveloped the girl in a gentle hug, resting his chin on the top of her head. There was a generous height difference between the two of them.

Sakura seemingly accepted the hug, and rested her head on his chest. For a moment the two merely enjoyed the others company. Things were far from resolved, as there were many more borderline-arguments they would likely have about the same topic in the future, but at least for now they would assured…at least until Ichigo would have to leave Konoha. He tried, however, not to think about his imminent departure.

Sakura leaned her head back to look up at Ichigo. With her eyebrows quirked, she inquired, "There isn't anything else you've been hiding, is there? If there is, just say it right now, let's get it over with." Her eyes were anxious.

Ichigo smirked. The two of them were so close, and he was oddly swept into the moment. "Oh, I can't think of anything." He mumbled as he slowly leaned forward. At first Sakura leaned her own head back, as if it wasn't welcome. When she realized what Ichigo was trying to do, she relaxed, her cheeks becoming flushed. But she too found herself lost in the moment, slowly standing on her toes to close the gap.

His heart was racing. Between them, things were a fast rollercoaster ride. Their behavior towards one another was volatile. They both had their flaws, and even though with all things considering it would be inappropriate, the one thing Ichigo wanted more than anything right then and there was to kiss her. He wanted nothing more than to solidify their apologies with a soft peck. He was bent on it. He closed his eyes, coming so close to meeting her lips with his.

He kissed something alright, but it wasn't Sakura's lips. When he opened his eyes again Sakura had her finger pressed to his mouth, looking at his confused face solemnly. Ichigo released the pinkette, taking a step back.

"We've both deceived each other…what kind of relationship is that?" Sakura asked. She had forgiven him, but even then the time didn't feel right. "I just think-"

"You think too much," Ichigo mumbled under his breath, sighing.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "I'm serious." She told him. Ichigo understood what she meant, and as much as he didn't like it she was right. If he wanted to kiss her, he'd have to wait.

It was at that moment their bubble was popped by an intruder. It was okay with both parties, as for now it looked like things were resolved. Naturally they knew conflict would come their way, especially with the Fourth Shinobi War dawning. Putting that all aside, Sakura was the first to turn and look at the figure in the doorway.

She frowned, clearing her throat and taking a long and sharp step away from Ichigo. "Hey, Shikamaru."

The male rose his eyebrows and looked to an equally-flustered Ichigo, not really caring why they were so close or what it meant. It wasn't any of his business. "Hokage-sama is waiting for you up in the tower, she's got a new mission."

Sakura nodded, sighing as she asked, "Could you just give me a moment to say good bye?" She had pivoted her body for such a reason when Shikamaru said again.

"There's no point," Shikamaru said roughly, "he's going with you. I think Tsunade's got a mission for the both of you."

Sakura frowned, looking back at Shikamaru. That couldn't be possible; Tsunade knew just how horrible the last joint mission with shinigami had failed. Did the Hokage really want to take steps down that rocky road again, when there were still things about the shinigami they didn't know? She had many questions for Shikamaru, and came close to asking him before he cut in:

"Ugh, don't be a drag." He mumbled.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **So I ranted above some, but now I just want to talk seriously. Thank you to all my supporters, especially those who've been with me from the very beginning. I've grown out of Naruto and Bleach, and all anime/manga in general, but I'll still be around to finish this fanfiction. It'll be a lot of work, but I'm going to give it my all. We don't have long to go, the ending is near. But I might have to cut out some detail to quicken it up. I really want to finish this before I start any new projects, or before my Internet breaks down again.

Jiryokou hasn't been mentioned much, but he's coming back. I had a whole other plot for him and Madara, but I've decided to just cut that crap and save myself some time. We've got to defeat the villain before I can write the epilogue, after all. Also, I've kind of foreshadowed to Sakura's past. She has issues with emotions, if you haven't already noticed…and is has something to do with the OC brother I've conjured for the sake of the plotline.

The next chapter probably won't be out for a while. I have to re-arrange my whole plotline to fit my wish to end this story soon…and that will take a while. And it doesn't help that my Internet is acting up again…as always. But it's the persistence of my happy non-flaming fans that keeps me going. Thank you so much! I really want this story to have a hundred reviews though…hint hint wink wink.

Also, it was skimmed-over and roughly edited, so please excuse any typos. I wanted to get this chapter out as fast as I could.

- Dahlia


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